


Life In Her Yet

by All_The_Monsters



Category: Anastasia - Flaherty/Ahrens/McNally
Genre: Dreams and Nightmares, F/M, Family, Gleb and Anya have a child, I don't know how to tag this, Marriage, PTSD, semi-graphic description of injuries
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-18
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2019-07-14 02:39:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 41,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16031252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/All_The_Monsters/pseuds/All_The_Monsters
Summary: Anya comes to St. Petersburg seven years earlier, and takes up the only job she could find, street sweeping. A dashing young officer offers tea, and she accepts, the rest left to history. Seven years later Anya still knows nothing of her past, but that is hardly at the forefront of her mind, being a wife and a mother, but when the past finally catches up with her it is the catalyst for her perfectly molded life starts to fall apart at the seams. Can she trust the man whom she promised 'till death do us part'? Will she be able to protect her family from the scars of her past or will it come crashing down around them tearing them apart forever.





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Only OC characters are my own, I do not, unfortunately, own any of the Anastasia characters.

_St Petersburg, February,1920._

Anya's gaze was focused on the street and she pushed the broom over the cold pavement, the repetitive sound of the straw broom against the ground calming and familiar to the young woman, making it easy to zone out and ignore the gossip on the streets. An icy wind blew through the streets causing Anya to stop and pull her thread-bare coat tighter around her. She let out a deep breath before resuming her sweeping. It was early morning and she hadn't been out long, but she was already chilled to the bone. 

_CRACK!!!_

The sound split through the air, rattling Anya to the core causing her to drop her broom and fall to the ground after it. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she bit back tears of fear. Suddenly she felt something on her back. Opening her eyes Anya could see a pair of what appeared to be sturdy boots. Glancing higher she was met with a pair of concerned, warm brown eyes. Looking over the man's face she felt her cheeks begin to heat up when she realized who he was. She had seen him before, on his way down the Nevsky Prospect to the Bolshevik office. He was the handsome officer she'd been secretly admiring from afar ever since she'd first pick up the job of street sweeping, and was, in fact, one of the only reason she kept doing it, just so she might catch a glimpse of him. Her embarrassment furthered when she came to the realization that in the midst of her dumb staring he'd been speaking to her. 

He grabbed her by her arms and began pulling her to her feet as he stood. 

"You're shaking. There's a tea shop just down the street, let me get you something." He said gently. 

"Thank you, I-" Anya stopped mid-sentence when her eyes landed on her broom, "I can't." 

Upon hearing her reluctance and seeing her gazing at the broom he bent down and picked up the offending object. Anya reached out to take the broom from him, but in her hurry her hand had landed on top of his own. Freezing her cheeks warmed once more and prayed he would think it was merely the cold flushing her face. 

"It wouldn't be any trouble, a soldier's uniform does go a long way, if your worried about losing your job." She looked back to his face and felt all refusals she'd had planned melt away at the sight of his lopsided grin and gentle eyes. 

Anya swallowed and felt herself smiling back and nodded before looking down and cursing herself for allowing herself to blushed like a young schoolgirl. He looked down at her and offered his elbow for her to take. Hesitantly Anya took his elbow and allowed him to lead her towards the tea shop.

He led her into a small shop and to a table by a window. The officer pulled out a chair and gestured for her to sit. She smiled and sat down, watching him as he went of to presumably order their tea. 

A shout outside the window on the street caught her attention and turned to look out it. There were two children outside playing around with a ball. She startled at the sound of two teacups being placed on the table and looked over to see that he had returned. Anya fought back the furious blush at he chuckled. 

"You are easily startled, aren't you?" He asked, sitting down across from her before taking a sip of tea. 

Anya pulled the cup set in front of her towards her and took a sip before replying. "Perhaps you should wear a bell." She froze upon remembering whom she was talking to and felt herself relax as he laughed. 

"What's your name?" He said, tilting his head at her. 

"I- uh- Anya." She said quietly. 

"Well don't sound so sure about it." He said from over the rim of his cup.

Anya only shrugged. "No offense, but I don't't feel like telling my life's story to a man whose name I don't even know." 

"Smart girl." He nodded.  "I'm Gleb, Gleb Vaganov." Anya smiled to herself at his response. So her secret crush had a name, she'd only ever heard him called Vaganov. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Gleb." Anya said. 

"And you, Anya." Gleb smiled at her.

"Thank you for the tea. It's been along time since I've seen a friendly face." Anya looked up to Gleb, feeling truely grateful. She'd seen him everyday ever since she came to St. Petersburg, but she'd never imagined he'd notice her, let alone even speak to her. Quickly finishing her tea, Anya spoke up once more, "I really must be going, I can't lose this job, they're not easy to come by..." Anya started to rise and Gleb followed suit, promising he'd call her employers and explain the situation, once again stating that a uniform can go along way. 

Once outside Anya thanked him once more before turning to make her way off, but stopped when she felt someone reach out and gently grab her arm. 

"Wait, Anya." Her heart fluttered and she turned to look back at Gleb. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but quickly closed it and swallowed harshly, looking away. Seeming to gather his courage he looked back and met her gaze. "Can I see you again?" 

Anya bit her lip before answering. "I- I would like that." 

"I'm here every morning." He smiled at her one last time as she brushed a strand of hair out of her face. Anya looked back up and smiled before turning and walking back to the square to continue sweeping. 

Gleb watched her walk off and finally brought himself to turn and continue on his way to the Bolshevik offices. Something in his chest bloomed at the thought of the young street sweeper. He had seen her before, and had been trying to gather the courage to actually speak to her.

His adoptive brother and comrade, Cedrik, had often teased him for being afraid of pretty girls. Cedrik would certainly be proud of him for talking to her, and even learning her name. Anya... it was such a fitting name for her. And her eyes! He'd never been close enough to see their shade of blue, no their  _shades_ of blue. They were like the Neva and the sky on a clear day, and the ocean by the docks.

After checking in at the Bolshevik headquarters and apologizing profusely for his tardiness Gleb quickly caught up with Cedrik and began his rounds of St. Petersburg. He couldn't get his mind off Anya, it seemed to be glued on her, and how she seemed shrouded in so much mystery.

Suddenly Gleb stumbled and caught himself on the corner of a building before looking back to see Cedrik blatantly sticking out his leg. 

"Alright, spill. It was a girl, wasn't it." Cedrik spoke with a bored tone, his cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth.

"Who said anything about a girl?" Gleb stuttered out. 

"Well," He reached up and pulled the cigarette from his mouth before continuing, " besides the fact I've been having a conversation with myself for the past five minuets, I know you, Gleb. Remember that pretty girl from school?" Cedrik laughed at Gleb's reddening face and obvious embarrassment, groaning full well knowing where the story was going.

"What was her name?" Cedrik continued. 

"Please stop." He begged. 

"Yulia, I believe. You tried to talk to her and froze up completely!" 

"She then continued to believe I was mental for three years." Gleb finished. Laughing Cedrik clapped him on the back. Gleb could see how Cedrik found this funny,  if it had happened to Cedrik then Gleb would certainly never let him forget it, and smirked at the thought. 

"Was it that street sweeper you've been ogling after for the past two months?" Cedrik asked. 

"What? How did you know?" Gleb asked in surprise. 

"I'm you're brother, I know all." Cedrik smirked as the rounded a corner, people scurrying from their presence. 

"Adoptive." Gleb ground out. "I bought her tea. Her name's Anya." 

Cedrik nodded approvingly before speaking. "Keep it up. You really need to find yourself a girl, comrade." He laughed before ducking to avoid Gleb's right hook.

\---

_St. Petersburg, March, 1920_

Standing in front of the mirror Gleb adjusted his appearance for what must've been the fifteenth time and sighed. Why was he making such a fuss over this, honestly he had no clue. Well, that was not the entire truth, he knew well why. Because there was one person who's opinions meant the most to him. He smiled as her name echoed in his head, conjuring the image of her smiling at him over the rim of a tea cup from all those months ago. 

_Anya._

It was such a perfect name for her. Short, simple, and to the point, much like it’s bearer.

Gleb quickly rearranged his hair once more before nodding to his reflection and turning to rush out the door.  

He noted how the sun peeked out from behind the clouds to warm his cheeks, despite the strong wind. As Gleb neared the Neva he could see Anya standing on the bridge, waiting for him.

Gleb felt a sharp pain in his chest at the thought of her sleeping defenselessly beneath that very bridge.

’ _She’s hardly defenseless._ ’ He reminded himself and rubbed the phantom pain away from the back of his head. He hadn’t meant to startle her like that, it had been entirely an accident. An accident that had ended up with a broom stick to the back of his head.

Anya’s golden hair whipped around her face, catching the spring sun, tinging it a light red. Gleb didn’t fail to notice the smile that broke out on her face when she noticed him approaching. 

He gladly returned the smile and pulled her into his arms as he greeted her before pulling away and hooking an arm around her waist as they made their way off.

_St. Petersburg, October, 1920_

“I don’t understand.” Anya said one evening as they rested together on a bench overlooking a small park, her brow furrowed. 

“Understand what?” Gleb asked confused. 

“Why me?” Anya asked looking up at him. 

Gleb knitted his brow before responding, equally confused. “What do you mean?” 

“Why me, Gleb?” Anya said, exasperated. “What is it about me? Surely you could have any other woman. I’m nobody! I’m just a street sweeper with no name and no family. Why are you doing this Gleb? You seem like a wonderful person, and surely you could do so much better than me-" Anya's voice broke off at the end, successfully shattering Gleb's heart, and beginning to cry. 

"Anya, please don't!" Gleb begged pulling her hands into his own. "Please, don't talk about yourself like that! You are such a strong, good willed, loyal person, true to fault, and I love you for all that you are, not  _who_ you are! I love  _you_ Anya." The ring in his pocket suddenly felt ten times heavier. Kneeling down in front of Anya, still holding her hands with one of his, he reached up to wipe away her tears of self doubt. "You know I'd bottle all the stars in the night sky for you if I could, don't you Anya? If it's a family and a name you want, I can give that to you. I want to give you that." With his free hand he reached into his pocket to pull out the ring. "Will you let me, Anya? Will you marry me?" 

Anya's hands flew to her mouth in shock as she stared teary eyed at Gleb in disbelief. "Gleb you don't have to do that"

"You're right," Gleb agreed,  "but I want to. I don't want to spend the rest of my life with anyone else but you, Anya." 

"Are- are you sure?" Anya asked.

"Ever since I met you." Gleb spoke. 

"Oh, Gleb! I- I- yes." Anya threw her arms around Gleb. He could feel her tears soaking his coat and pulled away to look at her. 

"Anya, Anya! Why are you crying? Did I do it wrong?" Gleb asked. 

"No, no! It's perfect Gleb, you did everything right!" Anya reassured him. 

"Why are you crying?" Gleb asked incredulously. 

"I'm just- it's just- I-" Anya only began to cry harder, covering her face in her hands. 

"Anya?" Gleb whispered pulling her hands away from her face and pulling her back into his arms, where she buried her face in his chest. 

"I'm so happy, Gleb. I'd never dared dream I'd marry, or that anyone could ever want to marry me." Her words where muffled by his coat. Pulling back she wiped her eyes dry and smiled up at him. "I love you, Gleb. Yes, I'd love to marry you." 

They both broke out in grins as he slipped the ring onto her finger. 

_St. Petersburg, December 1920_

Anya bit her lip and smiled as she signed out her name and felt a feeling of completeness overwhelmed her as her name was finally followed by a last name. A family to which she belonged. Her eyes began to tear up again for the millionth time that day. Looking over she could see Gleb smiling and talking to the man she'd learned was his adoptive  brother, Cedrik. 

 _'Husband.'_  She thought, her heart swelling. Looking down she smiled at her name. She'd written it out nearly twenty times alone on the slip of paper in front of her.  _Anya Vaganov._ That was her name. She had a name. 

Anya's heart lept as she felt arms wrap around her and turned to face Gleb. Leaning down he captured her lips with his own. 

"Let's go home." He whispered. 

"Let's go home." Anya agreed.

_St. Petersburg, April, 1921_

Anya collapsed back into Gleb's arms, panting heavily. He, in turn, held her as comfortably as he could from his position on the bed behind her. Both parties suddenly looked up as a high pitched wail pierced the early morning silence. 

"It's a girl." The midwife announced happily as she stood cleaning the baby off before bringing the mewling infant to it's parents. 

Anya reached out to accept the bundle and pulled it close to her chest. 

"Look, Gleb." Anya said in awe. "She's beautiful." 

"What are we going to call her?" Gleb asked, noting how every name they'd previously talked about seemed unbecoming of the baby girl in Anya's arms. 

"Ekatrina." Anya whispered. "Katya for short." At this she looked to Gleb for his opinion, and was pleased to be met with his soft smile. 

"Katya." He spoke softly. "Perfect." 

"Hold her, Gleb." Anya said turning towards him. 

Suddenly the reality of it all crashed down on him. He'd seen babies before, he'd even held some of his comrade's own, but this baby, this was theirs. "Are- Are you sure?" Gleb stuttered out.

"I held her for nine months, it's your turn now, Gleb." Then upon seeing Ekaterina's arms reaching forth from her swaddling Anya continued. "Look, she wants you." 

Carefully Gleb took the infant into his arms and time seemed to stand still. Ekaterina gazed back up at him, her eyes seeming to hold all the secrets to the universe in their clear blue gaze. Vaguely, Gleb wondered if she would inherit Anya's peircing Neva river blue gaze, or his own deep brown eyes. Gleb's own eyes sparkled with unshed tears as his heart lept in his chest. Grinning Gleb looked over to Anya only to see she'd fallen asleep. A whimper tore his gaze from his wife and back to the child in his arms. 

"Shhhh," Gleb hushed, folding Ekaterina closer to his chest. "Don't go and wake your Mama, now. She's very tired. Come now, Katya, you should get some rest too." Standing he made his way over to the window overlooking the streets from their flat and smiled at the first sight of dawn. 

"Bayu, bayushki, bayu," Gleb began the soft lullaby as he remembered it from his child as the sun's first rays peeked out from behind the horizon.


	2. Spiders and Potatoes

_St. Petersburg, March 1927_

Anya sighed and looked up out the window at gentle snowfall outside, casting a side eye to the clock she happily noted it was almost six o'clock. Looking back down at the potato she'd been cutting into cubes she caught a motion so swift she might've missed it if she'd blinked, and in turn the culprit might have gotten away with it. 

"Katya!" She called out and couldn't help but smile and roll her eyes as the giggle that came in return. "You'll spoil you're supper!" 

"It was just a small piece of potato, Mama!" The young girl laughed, Anya noting the familiar glimmer in Katya's eyes that she often saw in her husband's own. Laughing in return Anya shook her head before returning to the task at hand: stroganoff. 

Anya's head turned as she heard the front door to their flat open, and quickly wiped her hands on her apron. 

"Papa!" Katya cried from her spot at the table, dashing into the foyer, her drawing quickly forgotten. 

Gleb shook off his coat and hung it on the hook, turning just in time to catch Katya as she launched herself at him. Laughing he spun her around and pressed his lips to her forehead. 

"How was you're day,  solnyshko moya?" Gleb asked, taking his hat off his head and placing it on Katya's own, both laughing as it slipped down, the visor covering her eyes. 

"I caught a spider!" She exclaimed. 

"You did! How?" Gleb asked, suddenly feeling slightly concerned. 

"Like this!" Katya began to make a cupping motion with her small hands. 

"Huh." Gleb said at a loss for words. "Was it big?" 

Katya vigorously nodded her head up and down. 

"Ekatrina! Please come clear you're things from the table!" Anya peeked out from the door way leading into the kitchen.

Quickly he removed the hat from his daughter's head and hung it up next to his coat, setting Katya down and watching as she scampered off to do as her mother told. Walking over to Anya, Gleb watched as Katya cleaned her things from the table and disappeared back into her room. 

"She caught a spider?" Gleb asked. 

"The hard part was getting her to let it go." Anya said with a soft chuckle looking off down the hall towards their daughter's room. 

Turning Gleb followed Anya into the kitchen and began to pull down plates from the cabinets to set the table. 

"How was work today?" Anya asked as she took the pot off the stove. 

"We've renamed the city. Leningrad." Gleb spoke as he set down the plates on the kitchen table. Anya simple hummed in reply as she pulled out a loaf of bread. 

"I finally got a telephone that works." Gleb said in an attempt at lightening the mood. 

"You're not as funny as you think you are, Gleb." Anya smiled over at him. 

"Why do I get the impression I've done something wrong?" Gleb said as he stepped up behind Anya and wrapped his arms around her. "Is it the promotion? I know I'm away a bit later than before-" Gleb began to whisper. 

"No, it's not that Gleb, I'm proud of you, I really am. It's just- you know how I feel about what you do." Anya said quietly, leaning back into his embrace. 

"What I do is for the good of Russia and her people." Gleb replied. 

"Surely there are other ways. You know today while we were in town Ekatrina asked what it means to 'make and example' of someone, and why you always do it. She's too young to know about that yet! She's five, for Pete's sake!"

"Almost six." Gleb muttered. 

Anya ripped herself out of Gleb's arms before grabbing the pot of stroganoff from the counter. "That doesn't make it any better, Gleb!" 

"What'd you tell her?" Gleb asked, raising his hands in surrender. 

"That it was nothing she needs to worry about!" Anya slammed the pot down on the table.

"Anya, Anya." Gleb pleaded quietly stepping forwards and holding her at arm's length, fearing her wrath. 

"I need to know, Gleb. Did I lie to my daughter? Would you ever make an example of us?" Anya asked at long last. 

"Anya." Gleb tried but she just held up her hand and shook her head, signaling for him to stop and refusing to look him in the eye. Turning her back to him Anya sighed. Pulling her into his arms Gleb spoke at long last. 

"What's gotten into you, Anya?" 

Anya didn't reply, opting to bury her head in Gleb's chest.  

"They're back, aren't they." It wasn't a question. Anya nodded her head. 

Gleb remembered the nightmares she'd endured during their courtship and first year of marrige. They'd seemed to stop after she'd had Ekatrina, but now they were back with a vengeance. 

"I'm afraid to sleep at night, Gleb." Anya admitted quietly. "I'm afraid I'll see their ghostly faces haunting me and hear them tormenting me. They want me to remember, but I can't." 

Gleb shushed Anya and gently rocked her back and forth. Upon hearing Katya enter the room he craned his neck to address her. 

"Go and wash up, supper's ready." 

"Yes, Papa." She said quickly sensing they needed to be alone for a few moments longer. 

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Anya repetitively whispered over and over. 

"There's nothing to apologize for, my dear." Gleb replied. 

"I shouldn't have been so short with you." Anya said as she caught her breath. 

Gently Gleb cupped her face in his hands, using his thumbs to wipe away her tears before leaning down and kissing her. 

"I love you, and Katya, and would rather die myself than see the two of you harmed." Gleb assured her. 

Anya took a deep breath, closing her eyes and nodding. "I shouldn't have doubted you. I know you'd do anything for us." 

"Let's put this behind us and eat?" Gleb asked, smiling at Anya broken laugh and guiding her to sit down at the table.

Katya flew back into the kitchen and slid into her seat so fast she almost slid off the other end, and would've if Gleb hadn't caught her and gently pushed Katya back into the center of her chair. 

"Katya! Careful." Gleb gently chided. "You'll hurt yourself." 

"Sorry, Papa." Katya smiled sweetly up at him. Smiling Gleb ran his fingers through his daughter's hair and spooned some stroganoff onto her plate. 

Looking up he could see a sweet smile on Anya's face. Walking around the table Gleb pressed a soft kiss to the crown of Anya's head before taking his own seat. 

 As they ate, Gleb took in the simple domestic scene playing out in front of him. He watched as Anya smiled at something Katya had said and felt all of the stress the day seem to dissipate as he fell into step laughing and conversing with his family. It was almost as if there were two sides to him, the Deputy Commissioner Gleb Sergeynovich  Vaganov and Gleb Vaganov. Both were equal in their role importance, one an important pawn in the backbone of Russia's government, the other a pillar of support for his family.

Gleb was torn from his musings when Anya placed her hand atop her own. 

"Gleb, is everything alright?" 

Turning his own hand over he gently held her's and smiled reassuringly at her.  "Of course." 

Anya returned his smile and softly squeezed his hand before pulling it away and returning her attention back to her dinner. 

"Mama, may I be excused?" Katya piped up from her seat at the dinner table. 

Looking over to inspect her plate and seeming satisfied with Katya's empty plate Anya excused her from the table. Gathering up her plate and silverware Katya ran over and placed her dishes in the sink before running off down the hall and disappeared into her bed room. 

Looking back to Anya Gleb could see her almost shrink back into her chair. Gleb felt something tug at his heart strings when he noted that Anya had barely eaten anything, electing rather to push her food around her plate. 

 "Anya...?" Gleb asked quietly. Looking she met his gaze. "Please, try to eat something. You'll feel better." 

Seeming to take his advise Anya poked at potato before bringing it to her lips to eat.

Sighing Gleb stood up and took his dishes over to the sink. Anya could hear him rustling around behind her before he returned a short while later with a steaming mug in hand. Seeming to understand that she wasn't hungry he traded out her plate for the cup of tea, which Anya graciously accepted. 

"Thank you." Anya whispered, taking a sip. A smile ghosted across her lip as she felt Gleb press a kiss to her cheek. 

As Anya sipped at her tea she could feel her body relaxing and sighed deeply closing her eyes. Sensing a presence behind her she quickly opened them. Gleb took her hand in his own and pulled her up from her seat and pulled her close to him wrapping an arm around her waist. 

Closing her eyes once more Anya rested her head on Gleb's chest and allowed him to lead her in a slow dance around the kitchen to the sound of Gleb's baritone humming. 

"I love you." Gleb peered down at her. 

Anya hummed softly before answering. "I love you too." 

"Mama?" A voice startled the couple. Turning Anya knelt down to Katya's to see what she wanted. 

"I drew a picture for you." She handed Anya one of the paper's she held. Looking over Anya's shoulder Gleb could see what could be interpreted as two smiling taller people, one in a dress with long hair and the other in a green uniform (whom he guessed were himself and Anya) holding hands with a smiling smaller figure with even longer dark hair. (Clearly Ekatrina herself.) 

"You're always saying that family's important, so I drew a picture of our family for you." Katya smiled. 

"Thank you, I love it." Anya hugged her. 

"I made one for you too, Papa." Smiling Gleb knelt down and took the paper Katya held out to him. On it was picture similar to the one she'd gifted to Anya, two taller figures and one smaller one holding hands with the taller ones. 

A smile tugged at the corner of Gleb's lips as he gazed at the picture. 

"Do you like it, Papa?" Katya asked softly. 

"Of course, I love it." He replied still looking over it. 

Anya glanced over at the clock and upon the realization it was nearly eight o'clock she turned back to Katya. 

"Go brush your hair and get ready for bed, Katya, I'll be back shortly to tuck you in." 

"Yes, Mama. Papa, will you read to me again tonight?" She addressed Gleb. 

"Of course." He smiled. 

Turning Katya ran back down the hall, ducking into the bathroom this time to presumably brush her teeth and wash her face. 

Standing up Anya clutched the drawing to her chest and watched as Katya ran off, a fond look on her face. Stepping up behind her Gleb wrapped his arms around her and Anya leaned back into his embrace. 

Bending down Gleb nuzzled his nose into the crook of Anya neck and closed his eyes. A feeling of contentment washed over them both and the world around them fell away for the time being. 

"She'll be in bed by now." Anya muttered. 

Gleb hummed in reply. 

"Come on." Anya led him down the hall and towards Katya's room. They arrived to find Katya sitting atop her bed waiting patiently for them. Walking across the room Anya smiled sweetly as she pulled the covers up and over Ekatrina before pressing a kiss to her head. 

"Have you said your prayers?" Anya asked. 

"Yes, Mama. For you and Papa and Uncle Cedrik and Aunt Isola." She counted off proudly.

"And for Russia?" Gleb asked as he sat down on the bed across from Anya. 

"Uh-huh." She nodded confidently.

Chuckling softly Gleb leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Katya's forehead. 

"What would you like me to read tonight?" Gleb asked. 

Anya smiled gently and retreated from the room as Katya pulled a book out from beneath her pillow. Anya crossed the hall and into her and Gleb's shared room and began to ready herself for bed. After changing into a nightgown Anya sat down on her side of the bed she picked up her hair brush and began to run it through her hair. 

"Why didn't you tell me you were having nightmares again?" Anya startled at Gleb's voice behind her and turned to see him lingering in the doorway. 

Worrying her lip she turned away from him once more. 

"Anya?" Gleb questioned as he crossed the room and sat down beside her. 

Turning she looked up at him and began to speak, her eyes glossed over and misty with unshed tears. 

"I didn't want to worry you." She said in a voice so small even she could barely hear it.

"I would have worried anyway Anya." Gleb prodded gently. 

"I know, I'm sorry." Anya admitted softly. "I just didn't want to think about it."

"Is it like before?" Gleb questioned. 

Anya bit her lip and nodded, squeezing her eyes shut, a few stray tears falling from her lashing and trailing down her cheeks. Reaching forward Gleb placed his hands on either side of her face and brushing her tears away with his thumbs. Pulling her towards him he pressed his lips to her forehead before hugging Anya close. 

"I can hear gunshots and screams and there's blood, so much blood." Anya moaned. "And the ghostly people harassing me..."

"Like before." Gleb confirmed. 

"Yes. But there's more this time..." Anya trailed off into silence before speaking once more. "There's also a hallway with no other halls branching off, no windows, and no doors into any other rooms... except at the end. There's a single door and I know there's something behind it, something connecting me to my past...

"But no matter how far or how much I run and can never reach it... and it's just so frustrating." Anya finished burying her head into Gleb's chest. 

Gleb, finding himself at a loss for words, began to stroke Anya's hair and pressed his nose to the crown of her head. 

After a long while Anya spoke. "What do you think it means?" 

Gleb took a moment to process the information Anya had given him before answering. "I- I don't know." He said honestly. "But whatever it is... I don't think you should worry yourself over it to much... I think you'll reach the door when you're ready and you shouldn't try and rush it. It'll come back to you when the time is right." 

"Thank you Gleb." Anya whispered as Gleb continued to stroke her hair.  

Shifting Gleb pulled her into a gentle and reassuring kiss before resting their foreheads against each other. 

"What ever this is Anya, we'll face this together, I promise." Gleb vowed, clasping Anya's left hand in both of his own, tracing the simple band on her finger before silently repeating himself. "I promise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave and comments, concerns, constructive criticisms, and or interpretive dances in the comment section below.


	3. Of Liars and Un-Dead Princesses

Gleb awoke to the usual silence of the flat in early dawn and allowed himself to revel in the peace for the short time being. Shifting Gleb sighed and wrapped his arms around Anya before stroking her soft hair. The corners of his lips turned upwards and he felt, more than heard, Anya sigh in her sleep. 

Deciding he had lingered long enough Gleb carefully transferred Anya from his chest and onto the bed, sitting up. Turning Gleb pulled the  blankets back up over Anya before pressing a kiss to her cheek. Sitting back up Gleb looked over his wife once more before standing to prepare for the day. 

Crossing the room Gleb opened the wardrobe to pull out a neatly pressed uniform. Pulling the suspenders over his shoulders after pulling on his uniform slacks Gleb slipped into the pressed jacket, buttoning up the dark fabric. Gleb gave a sharp tug to the hem of his jacket, fitting it to his shoulders. Reaching forward Gleb pulled the belt from it hanging place and wrapped it around his waist, fastening the brass buckle. 

Looking in the mirror Gleb felt himself stand a little taller. Seeing himself in uniform always tore him in two sometimes... one part knowing that his father would be proud, the other visioning his mother sadly looking away from what her son was. The later thought was carefully repressed in the deep corners of his mind. 

A shuffling sound from behind him alerted him to the fact that Anya was waking up. Looking back over his shoulder once more Gleb could see Anya staring sleepily out the window. With a soft smile Gleb left the room.

As he made his way down the hall something stopped him outside of Ekatrina's room. Casting a glance towards the door Gleb gathered his resolve and slowly opened the door. Looking into the room Gleb could see Katya sleeping peacefully in her bed, her long dark blonde hair cascading over the pillows. Stepping into the room Gleb walked over the edge of the bed and knelt down. Placing a hand gently on her shoulder Gleb whispered his daughter's name to rouse her. 

"Katya, Katya." 

Katya scrunched her nose in a way that was eerily similar to Anya before opening her dark brown eyes. She groaned lightly before speaking tiredly. 

"Papa..." 

"I have to go to work now, solnyshko moya." Gleb explained. 

"Okay..." Katya muttered. "I love you Papa." Katya said as she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. 

"I love you too." Gleb responded hugging her back in return. Standing up Gleb smiled down at Katya before bending back down to kiss her forehead.

Gleb turned and left Ekatrina's room and continued his path towards the front door. Gleb had bent down to lace up his boots when he felt a presence behind hims. Casting a glance back he could see Anya standing behind him. Getting up Gleb smiled and turned to face Anya. Reaching up Anya pressed the wrinkles out of Gleb's uniform jacket before wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him down for a kiss. 

Pulling back Anya furrowed a brow and pressed a hand to the stubble on his cheek. 

"I know, I haven't shaved in a few days." Gleb muttered. 

"No, it's not like that," Anya spoke quietly before smiling sweetly, "Keep it, I like it." 

Chuckling Gleb pressed a second kiss to Anya's lips before stepping away to pull on his coat. Reaching into his pockets Gleb rummaged around before sighing frustratingly and looking around on the floor. At the sound of Anya clearing her throat Gleb looked up to see her smirking and holding out his gloves to him. Gratefully accepting the gloves and tugging them on Gleb pulled his cap onto his head and opened the door stepping out into the early morning, chilled further by the harsh Russian winter. 

As he walked down the street and past the other flats on the block Gleb noted the humble Christmas decorations beginning to appear on his neighbors homes. Rounding a corner sharply Gleb ducked into an alley he often used as a short cut to get to the building where he worked. The alley way had a duel purpose though, working as an easy way to gather what gossip was winding it's way through the streets of Leningrad that morning. As Gleb passed a shallow alcove something of just this nature reached his ears, nearly causing him to stumble. 

_"Have you heard? They say that it's her! That she lives! The lost princess... the Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov!"_

Stopping dead in his tracks Gleb let the gossip sink in. People thought that the Grand Duchess was still alive? Looking back over his shoulder Gleb tried to catch the person who'd dare to speak such an absurdity but found himself alone in the alley. Quickly Gleb gathered himself and hastened his way towards the offices once more. Leaving the cover of the alley-way Gleb stepped into the early morning light and made his way down the Nevsky Prospect toward his destination. 

As he opened the door to the building a gust of warm air met him, washing away the chill that had settled itself into his very core. Nodding politely to the receptionist Gleb entered his own office and shed himself of his coat and hat, hanging the respectively on the hooks. Gleb couldn't help the sigh the left him at the sight of the stacks of paper work littering his desk. 

Sitting down Gleb began the sift through the papers in front of him, organizing them in order of deemed importance. After what felt like an eternity of doing paperwork there was a knock on the office door. Looking up Gleb furrowed his brow and called out for the person on the other side of the door to come in, not once looking up from the paper he held in his hands. 

"I really don't know how you do it Gleb." The person on the other side said as he entered the room and closed the door behind him. 

Still looking down at the paper in front of  him Gleb smiled, recognizing the voice he knew all to well. "Do what?" 

"Sit in here, cooped up all day, doing nothing but paperwork and answering the phone. You're practically a secretary." Cedrik laughed. 

"I'm not a secretary," Gleb muttered, "and I don't stay 'cooped' up in here all day. Watch it Levisky, what I do is important." Gleb's tone lightened in a jesting manner. 

"Like...?" Cedrik questioned, smirking.

"I make speeches, I'm in charge of arrests and keeping the trouble makers under control." Gleb answered before finally looking up at his adoptive brother. "What do you want?"

"There's going to be a raid and I simply stopped by to see if the all important Deputy Commissioner Gleb Vaganov wanted to get out of his dusty office and join us." Cedrik shrugged. 

"Raid?" Gleb questioned, interested. At his question Cedrik handed him a paper. Upon further investigation Gleb could see it was a wanted poster, brandishing two men, con-men, it read. 

"There's gossip on the streets..." Cedrik trailed off, taking a seat in front of Gleb's desk.

"...Anastasia..." Gleb confirmed.

"Yes, well, these two," Cedrik gestured to the wanted poster, "have not been helping things. They're holding 'auditions' to try and find an Anastasia." 

"What would finding a false Anastasia accomplish?" Gleb asked. 

"They're intent on taking her to Paris to meet the Dowager Empress and con her for her money." Cedrik explained. "She's offering a reward for the safe return of her granddaughter."

"That's likely." Gleb sneered. 

"Yes well, it doesn't help matters much does it." Cedrik agreed. 

"When is the raid?" Gleb made up his mind. 

"In a half hour's time, at Yusupov Palace." Cedrik stood. 

"I'll be there." Gleb verified.

"See you then, Comrade." Cedrik smiled and took his leave.

Gleb watched the door close and sat for a moment before the telephone on the desk range, diverting his attention from his thoughts. Reaching over he answered it. 

"Hello?" 

"Ah yes, comrade Vaganov." Came a familiar voice from across the line. 

"Comrade Gorlinsky." Gleb felt himself immediately sit up straighter in his seat. 

"I'm sure you've heard the rumors." Came the monotonous voice from the speaker. 

"Rumors, sir?" Gleb asked, knowing full well what Gorlinsky was asking. 

"Anastasia Romanov. They say she's alive." Gorlinsky spat from the other line. "It doesn't help our situation much that the ex-Dowager Empress is offering money for Anastasia's return." 

"I've heard sir." Gleb responded. 

"I want you to head up this case, Vaganov. Stamp out these rumors once and for all." The implication of what Gorlinsky was saying was clear to Gleb. "And should you find  _her,_ I think you know what to do." 

"Yes sir." Gleb voice came unwavering. 

"Good." With that the line went dead. 

Hanging the phone on the receiver Gleb leaned over and opened the bottom drawer of his desk revealing an old pistol. Picking it up Gleb turned it over in his hands. It was almost a cruel irony, Gleb thought, that this gun that took the very lives of the Romanov family, would be the very weapon to end the rumors and perhaps the princess herself. The gun had belonged to his own father before him, and with a certain dignity Gleb held it now. 

The gun slipped easily into the holster that Gleb had clipped to his belt before standing and pulling his coat on once more. Hat and gloves back on once more Gleb exited his office pulling the door to behind him and left the building to cross the street where Cedrik leaned against a wall waiting. A cloud of smoke hung around his head like a ghostly halo as he puffed on a cigarette to pass the time.

Gleb looked both way before rushing across the street to where his brother awaited. 

"Glad you could make it, comrade."  Cedrik greeted before digging around in his pocket to reveal a box of cigarettes and offering one to Gleb. 

"You know I don't smoke anymore." Gleb said as he came to stand by Cedrik. 

Shrugging Cedrik stuffed to box back into his coat pocket before gesturing for Gleb to follow and speaking once more. 

"How's Anya?" 

Chuckling Gleb replied. "She'll tell you everything's just fine..." Gleb paused for a brief moment before speaking again, "But to tell you the truth, I'm worried for her." 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Cedrik asked, genuine concern for his sister in-law lacing his voice.

"She's having nightmares again and I can tell it's really taking it's tole on her this time." Gleb answered and fell into a thoughtful silence before asking Cedrik about his new bride, Yulia. 

"She's insufferable!" Cedrik laughed before quickly sobering, "But I love her." 

Gleb smiled knowingly to himself as they turned a corner and found a group of three other officers waiting. 

"Blinsky, Kolchov, Chovsky." Gleb greeted monotonously, all three men nodding their acknowledgment before Cedrik spoke directly to everyone present. 

"Yusupov Palace," he began, "is only a short block that way, and we must maintain a level of surprise if we are to catch the criminals unawears. Therefore we will be spliting up and taking different routes. Blinsky and Chovsky take the alleys and enter through the back, keep to the shadows and wait for the signal.

"Kolchov, you're with me, we'll take a more covert route and enter through one of the halls. Vaganov," Cedrik turned towards Gleb now. "You'll take the most direct course and slip through the main entrance. Seeing as you're heading up the operation we'll await you're signal." 

"Very well," Gleb agreed before continuing, "I concur, Blinsky, Chovsky, on your ways." The two men nodded once more before quickening heading off down a secluded alley-way. "Kolchov, Levisky."  Gleb nodded in the direction of Yusupov Palace and the pair quickly took off towards the old building, turning once they had made it to the end of the block in order to enter from another angle than their comrades. 

As soon as they were out of sight Gleb gathered himself and strode confidently towards the offending structure. Soon he found himself standing in front of what could be considered to some, the imposing doors, but to Gleb they were merely remnants of a time long past. 

The metal of the door handles were cool beneath his hands as Gleb slipped silently into the building, careful no one saw his entry. As Gleb took in the room around him, a foyer, he remembered it was called, he noted the fine layer of dust and smell of mold from the unkempt room. In such a disarray it was almost hard to imagine it in it's former glory, the only things remaining to show any indication of a time long gone was the faded red and gold carpet below his boots. Glancing down Gleb sneered and shuffled his muddied boots over the fine fabric before turning from his musings to the job at hand. 

Taking a deep breath Gleb silently snuck through the halls and into the abandoned theatre. Stepping out of the shadows Gleb raised his gun, looking around widely, only to met with the silence of the vacant room. Lowering his weapon with a sigh of frustration Gleb signaled the others out from hiding and stalked up onto the old stage to where a wood table stood, the candle sat on it still smoking, mocking the group that'd been only seconds behind the con-men. 

"Damn. We've just missed them." Gleb voiced. 

"Did they know we were coming?" Kolchov asked. 

"How could they... unless..." Gleb turned to look at his comrades. He took his turn looking over each of their faces, searching for the treachery he knew was there. Each met Gleb's harsh gaze before looking around at the others, searching for the traitor in their midst. 

Not Cedr- Levisky, Gleb corrected, it would be better to seperate his brother from Officer Levisky, should Gleb be wrong. Not Kolchov... Maybe Chovsky... 

Just then something caught his eye. Blinsky's right hand twitched as he steeled his jaw and bore his gaze directly back into Gleb's own. If looks could kill, Gleb thought absentmindedly. 

"Blinsky..." Gleb ground out. 

The man in question quickly found himself being stared down in shock by the other three. 

"What do say for yourself." Gleb spat, fire in his eyes. 

The older man spoke after a silence that seemed to last decades, not once breaking eye contact with Gleb. "I say that the only traitor here is you. You revel in the murder of an innocent family." 

"They were hardly innocent." Gleb sneered. 

"You think you've won," Blinksy stated, "but you're wrong. This wont last. Because guess what, she's alive, Anastasia." 

"You believe this fools dream?" Gleb mocked. 

"It's not a lie." Blinksy said flattly. 

"Oh?" Gleb cocked his head. 

"I would know. I saved her that night." The senior officer spoke. "I pulled her from the house and treated her wounds before leaving her to be found somewhere far from that godforsaken house. I started those rumours because it was time for her to come forward and claim her rightful place as the ruler of Russia." 

Without warning Blinsky moved quickly, so fast that none of the others even had time to react, and pulled the gun from his holster, placing it against his temple before shouting, "Long live the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanov!" and pulling the trigger. 

Gleb could only watch as his former comrade took his own life, hardly leaving time for a formal arrest. Gleb cursed, not at the death of Blinsky, but at the extra paperwork he knew he'd have to complete once he got back to the offices. 

As Gleb turned to leave his foot hit something, knocking it and sending the unknown object rolling away. Walking over to it Gleb kneeled down to pick it up. In his hand sat the weighty item. Quickly using the sleeve to his coat Gleb brushed the dust off it to reveal a richly embellished box of some sort. 

Holding it up to the light Gleb looked closer. Upon further inspection it appeared to be a music box. As Gleb turned it over in his hands a thought came to mind. It was nearly Christmas and he'd yet to get Anya a present. Gleb had wanted to find something special for his wife. Looking back to the trinket Gleb made his decision and quickly stuffed the gift into his pocket before continuing his way off the stage to join his companions where they stood outside, making plans for the body left behind in the building. 

With a quick nod Gleb passed by them without incident and began his return journey to the Bolshevik offices. Stepping back into the welcoming warmth of the building Gleb entered his office and began pacing back and forth in from the windows behind his desk, mulling over the new information he'd recently gleaned. 

Blinsky had admitted his treason. He'd saved the youngest Romanov daughter. Blinsky had said that he'd left the girl on the side of a busy road, where he'd obviously met for her to be found. Something about that sent an unsettling feeling of de ja vou through Gleb. 

With a sigh Gleb took his seat behind his desk and resigned himself to the report that desperately needed filling out. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always please leave any comments, concerns, questions, and or interpretive dances in the comment section below!!!


	4. Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally here, sorry it took so long! Like I said in the previous chapter/author's note, I've been really busy as of late. I'm also afraid I won't be able to write as much as I usually do until after Christmas, not to say I won't be writing, because I will. As some of you know from my previous author's note I auditioned with the Moscow ballet for the Nutcracker and got in, so a lot of what used to be free time when I would work on my works is now taken up by practices for our show in December. I'm so sorry I can't update on a regular basis. Now that that's out of the way, on to chapter three!

The days following came and passed with little happening to disturb the small family, each following the simple pattern that ruled their lives. Soon Anya found herself tucked away on the eve of Christmas in her and Gleb’s room, hastily wrapping her presents for her family; for Gleb a new book, and for Ekatrina a pair of silky teal ribbons for her hair. Anya had just finished tying the last bow when Gleb entered the room.

Standing Anya took the newly wrapped gifts and hid them in the back of the drawer on her nightstand before sitting down on the bed where her husband joined her.

“Has it really been that long?” Anya questioned, to which Gleb hummed his reply.

“Katya… she’ll be six this spring.” Turning her attention to her wedding band she spoke once more, quietly this time, almost as if in disbelief. “And we’ve been married nearly eight years.”

“It doesn’t seem that long.” Gleb agreed.

“Do you remember? When we first met?” Anya clarified.

“How could I forget?” Gleb smiled, reaching over to stroke Anya's cheek with his thumb, Anya smiled in return at the affectionate gesture. 

Leaning forward Gleb pressed his lips to Anya's, reveling in the feeling of Anya's slightly chapped lips (no thanks to the cold) against his own. Kissing Anya never grew old, every kiss was different, In fact, Gleb was certain that no two kisses were alike, and none beneath the other. Each one was just as important as the other, and after nearly nine years they still sent Gleb's heart fluttering.With great reluctance they parted, gasping for air. 

"I love you." Anya spoke quietly as Gleb nuzzled her throat with the tip of his nose. 

"Mmmm... I love you too." Gleb whispered, lifting his head back up to plant a soft kiss on the tip Anya's nose, causing her to giggle quietly. 

Smiling, Gleb laid down on the bed next Anya and pulled her down next to him, Anya turning on her side to lay her head on his shoulder. 

"Is Katya asleep?" Anya questioned. 

"Well, you'd think after three different books, two lullabies, and five times of checking under the bed for Baba Yaga, she would be, but there's no knowing for certain." Gleb smiled. 

Anya chuckled before replying, "She's probably out like a light." 

"Hopefully." Gleb joined in with soft laughter of his own. 

Rolling over on her side away from Gleb Anya opened the drawer on the bedside table and pulled out the wrapped gifts. "I'll go put these under the tree."

Gleb waited until she left the room before leaving his own spot on the bed. He looked over his shoulder before turning his attention back to the wardrobe and pushing the uniforms aside to get to the back, where two wrapped packages sat. One the music box for Anya and the other a blank book and a package of crayons for Katya. Picking them up with one hand Gleb closed the wardrobe door with the other and made his way out of the room.

Upon entering the living room Gleb saw that Anya had carefully placed her own gifts to her family beneath the simple tree already. Gleb laid his own presents down next to hers and crossed over into the kitchen where Anya stood looking out the window at the steadily falling snow in the moonlight.

Gleb came to rest beside her, following Anya's gaze out the window and off into the night. Distantly Gleb felt Anya lean against him, in turn wrapping his arm around Anya's waist. 

"It's a shame there's no mistletoe." Anya mused.

"Oh?" Gleb responded, turning and burying his nose in Anya's hair. "And why is that?" 

"Because then I could have an excuse to kiss you." Anya looked up and met Gleb's warm gaze, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Who said you need an excuse?" Gleb asked leaning down so that their noses brushed against each other. 

"Hmm... I suppose you're right." Anya whispered, closing the distance between the two. Gleb's arms wound around Anya's waist as he pulled her close, deepening the kiss. Anya hummed softly before pulling back and leaning her head on Gleb's chest. She glanced over at the clock and spoke. "Merry Christmas, Gleb."

"Merry Christmas, Anya." Gleb echoed softly. 

\---------

"Mama! Papa! Wake up, wake up, wake up!" came Ekatrina's cheerful voice from the foot of their bed. "It' Christmas!" She gave one last ecstatic shout before running off down the hall. 

Anya couldn't help but smile as she heard Gleb's own sleepy chuckle. Sitting upright she stretched her arms above her head before leaning over to peck Gleb on the cheek. 

"Schastlivago Rozhdestva." Anya whispered before getting up and following Katya out of the room. 

Gleb stared after her for several long moments before taking a deep breath and sitting up. He was lost in his own thoughts when a sound brought him back to reality. 

"Common, Papa. Mama says to hurry or we'll open presents without you!" Katya feigned sternness. 

"Is that so?" Gleb raised an eyebrow at her, Katya humming and nodding her head in reply. "Well in that case..." Gleb trailed off before lunging forward and catching his daughter before Katya could comprehend what was happening. She let out a playful shriek as Gleb flipped her over his shoulders and held her on his back by the ankles. 

"Papa!" Katya yelled in between fits of laughter as Gleb  made his way out into the living area. 

Gleb tossed her onto the couch where she landed still giggling madly. Sitting down next to Ekatrina Gleb caught her once again and pulled her back towards him, this time tickling her. 

Anya entered the room holding two steaming mugs in her hands and smiled at the sight of Katya convulsing with laughter as her father tickled her senseless. 

"Mama!" Katya called out in between laughter. "Save me!" 

Anya laughed as she set one of the mugs down on the small table that stood next to the couch by where Gleb sat. She carefully sat down on on the couch where Katya had finaly seemed to escape her father's grasp and had crawled over into Anya's lap, still giggling. Anya wrapped her arms around Katya and pressed a kiss to Katya's head.

"Can we open presents now?" Katya looked up at her mother for permission. 

Anya laughed and kissed her daughters forehead before answering. "Go ahead, golubushka." 

With a giddy smile Katya slid off Anya's lap and ran over to where the tree sat. Collecting the gifts that sat under the tree into her arms Katya stood and began to divide them among her parents and herself. As soon as everybody had their respective gifts she sat down and began to open her own.

Anya leaned her head against Gleb's shoulder as Katya began to tear the wrapping off her gifts. Her face lit up with immediate delight at the sight of the blank sketch book and crayons. 

"Papa!" She exclaimed holding the gifts up, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Katya launched herself at her father, who caught her in a bear hug. 

"Why don't you open your gift from Mama." Gleb coaxed. 

Katya excitedly climbed down from Gleb's lap and back over to where she'd previously been sitting before and began to open Anya's gift to her.  She smiled wide at the sight of the pretty hair ribbons and immediately began to beg her mother to do her hair.  

Anya picked up one of the gifts that had been sat in front of her and began to gently unfold the packaging. 

"Ooh! That one's from me!" Katya said climbing up onto the couch next Anya. 

Anya smiled as she pulled what appeared to be a necklace from the wrappings. It consisted on a simple string with an array colourful beads. 

"Oh it's beautiful Ekatrina!" Anya said as she slipped it on over her neck, smiling wide and looking over towards Katya who beamed back up at her. 

"Open the one from me, Papa!" Katya smiled over a Gleb. 

At Katya's insistence Gleb turned his attention to his own present. Upon removing the wrapping Gleb revealed a clay sculpture of a stag standing on a heavy base. 

"It's a paper weight for work!" Katya explained. "I made it myself, well mostly. Mama helped with the stag." Anya let out a soft laugh at this.

"Thank you, solnyshko moya, I love it." Gleb leaned over and kissed her forehead. 

"Open the one from me next." Anya requested, looking up at Gleb, pulling Katya fully into her lap. 

Without further prompting Gleb opened his gift from Anya. It was the next book in a series Gleb had been reading recently. 

"I hope that's the correct book, I do believe it's the next one in the series you're reading." Anya said. 

"Thank you, Anya." Gleb said as he looked the book over, flipping through the pages. "You haven't opened my gift for you yet." Gleb noted looking back towards his wife. 

Katya looked over to where the wrapped package still sat and picked it up to hand it to her mother. Anya gratefully took it from her and began to unwrap the wrapping from around the weighty object. 

"Gleb... it's beautiful!" Anya gasped. "Where ever did you get it?" Anya looked over to Gleb wide eyed. 

"I found it during a raid." Gleb admitted. "I could've turned it in, but it would've just been destroyed, besides I thought you'd be able to appreciate it a bit more than the Bolsheviks." 

"What's this? My perfect rule abiding husband smuggling home a royal artifact?" Anya teased before looking back towards the object in hand. 

"What is it, Mama?" Katya asked as she too looked it over. 

"The lid, or what I assume to be the lid, won't open. I think it's broken." Gleb stated. 

"Give me a moment." Anya mumbled turning the trinket over in her hands, studying it. 

After a few seconds of fidgeting around with it Anya managed to find some sort of hidden key on the bottom, successfully winding it up. All three of them gasped as the lid slowly opened revealing the figures of two people who appeared to be dancing and a soft tinkling tune began to play. 

Anya began to absentmindedly hum, and when Gleb looked over to her he could see a far-away look had settled itself in her eyes. 

"Anya?" Gleb questioned, "What is it." 

"I- I don't know." Anya blinked. "It's just... somehow...." Anya struggled to find the correct word. "...familiar..." 

"I think it's beautiful." Katya's voice tore the adults from their stupor. 

"Yes, it is." Anya agreed. "Thank you Gleb, I love it." 

"Common, Papa! It snowed last night! Please help me make a snowman, please!" Katya begged. 

"Go and get dressed and we'll see what we can do." Gleb acquiesce. 

"Don't forget your scarf and gloves!" Anya called out after Katya as she ran down the hall. 

"Are you alright?" Gleb asked, his voice laced with concern. 

"Yeah, it's nothing." Anya reassured. "Really Gleb, it probably just a sort a de ja vu, I've heard the song somewhere before or something. Go play with Katya." 

Gleb smiled as he turned to leave and put on something other than the sleep clothes he currently wore. 

"And don't you go forgetting your scarf or gloves either, Gleb Sergeynovich!" Anya called out behind him, "I won't have either of you getting sick."

Anya sighed softly to herself as she heard the door shut, followed by a high pitched shriek proceeded by laughter, the cause of which Anya could only assume was an impromptu snowball fight. 

As Anya moved to head back to her room to change a shine caught her eye. Looking over she could see it was none other than the music box. A new curiosity overtook Anya and she slowly stepped towards the object. Reaching for it she stopped short, her fingers mere inches from the polished surface. Why was she so drawn to the object, like a moth to flame? Steeling her resolve Anya took a deep breath and picked it up. 

Looking at the music box once more Anya remembered the tune it had played, and she suddenly found herself remembering lyrics to... to what she didn't know.

Without thinking Anya's hands had found their way to the key on the bottom of the music box and had begun to wind it it. As the lid opened and the music filled the air once more the world around Anya seemed to fall away, and she found herself softly singing the words that came to mind. 

" _And a song, some-one sings...._

 _once upon a dec-ember..."_   Anya finished quietly. When she closed her eyes she could see vivid colours, swirling fabrics, and for a moment Anya swore she could hear girl's voices and a young boys laughter. 

Anya's eyes flew open and the voices and laughter were replaced with that of her husband and daughter. Catching her breath Anya stood, her eyes still glued to the music box in hand and continued her path back to her room.

After pulling on a thick cotton dress and a sweater Anya came back out into the living room. As she was busying herself making soup for her (soon to be) cold family the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, causing Anya to stop mid-movement. Turning abruptly Anya blinked in confusion at the empty room behind her. 

"There's nothing there..." Anya quiet voiced her wonder. "Of coarse there's not, what were you expecting?" she chastised herself, though she knew full well what she had been expecting; not a person, but perhaps a shadow or specter, or something of that ilk. 

"Mama! Come see the snowman Papa and I built!" Katya shouted from the doorway, drawing Anya's mind from phantom laughter and shadowy forms. 

"Coming!" Anya called out, wiping her hands quickly on a near by cloth and making her way out of the kitchen area to the foyer where her daughter stood, smiling widely and bright eyed. 

"I thought I told you to wear you're scarf." Anya muttered at the sight of Katya red tipped nose. 

"Common!" Katy grabbed her hand and began pulling her to the door and Anya struggled to at least lace up her boots and wrap herself in a coat. 

Anya couldn't help the laugh that escaped her as her daughter practically shoved her out the door and into the small snow covered yard, more of a grand walkway if it hadn't been for the fencing separating their yard from their neighbors. 

"Privet Mr. Soldolski, Schastlivago Rozhdestva!" Katya called out waving happily as the elderly man stepped out of his flat next door to call for his cat. 

"Merry Christmas, Mr. Soldolski!" Anya echoed with a smile of her own. 

A look of pure awe washed settled on the old man's face as it always did whenever Anya acknowledged him. 

"Merry Christmas, Mrs. Vaganov, little miss Ekatrina Glebevna." He smiled back. 

"Hello, Igor." Gleb smiled politely, at which the aforementioned nodded back politely before repeating wishes for a happy Christmas and hobbling back inside. 

"What a nice old man." Anya mused. 

"He's been here since before I moved in." Gleb said. 

"Mama, look at out snowman!" Katya called from across the yard. 

Looking over Anya could see an impressively large snowman smiling back at her with it's pebble mouth and beady coal eyes. 

"He'll certainly last till March." Anya called out impressed.

"He's beautiful." Katya said, dramatically draping herself across the snowman in a hug, causing both adults to laugh at the antics of their young daughter. 

"Yes, he is." Anya agreed once she caught her breath.

"Let's go back inside before we're all sick." Gleb spoke, the fog from his breath floating off into the sky. 

"I agree. Come on Katya." Anya called out. 

At her mothers beckoning Katya rose up and bolted into the house, narrowly missing taking out her parents in the process. Once back inside Gleb helped Anya out of her coat and hung it back up on it's peg before removing his own. As soon as Katya had shed her winter wear and run off, she quickly reappeared with the ribbons Anya had gotten her in hand. 

"Mama, would you please do my hair?" She pleaded. 

"Let's eat something first, and then see about it?" Anya asked walking back into the kitchen.

"Okay." Katya agreed before skipping off. 

Anya remained in silent thought as Gleb followed her into the kitchen.  Lunch passed with little happenstance and soon the small family found themselves seated around a fire, Anya brushing back Katya's long hair, and starting a braid on the crown of her head. 

"Mama?" Katya asked after a moment of silence. 

"Yes, Ekatrina?" Anya asked as she brought the braid she'd just finished over Katya's shoulder and held it out to her to hold the end so it would unravel. 

"... I love you." Katya said hurriedly as Anya laughed. 

"Is there something you wanted to ask?" Anya questioned. "Hand that braid back now, will you?" She said as an after thought.

"Well, there was, but I forgot." Katya explained as she passed the braid back over her shoulder to her mother.

"Okay, then." Anya smiled as she finished off the incarnate braid with the hair ribbons. "There you go." 

"Thank you, Mama." Katya said as she turned and kissed her mother's cheek. 

"You're welcome." Anya replied. 

As Katya ran down the hall and back into her own bedroom to grab her art utensils Anya rose from her spot in front of the fire where she'd been sitting and sat down on the couch next to Gleb, bringing her knees up against her chest to curl up against him. 

"You think way to loud." Gleb spoke into the calm silence that had settled over the room, looking up from his book. 

"I suppose I do." Anya chuckled lightly. 

"What are thinking of?" Gleb asked softly, setting his book aside and following Anya's gaze over the where Katya sat by the fire's warmth, drawing in her new sketch book and humming to herself.

"Have you ever thought about having another?" Anya whispered over her shoulder. 

"Not really, but I can't say I'd mind another little girl, or perhaps a little boy." 

Anya laughed softly in Gleb's embrace before responding. "Yeah..." 

"We could always try for another." Gleb whispered. 

"You'd like that wouldn't you." Anya laughed and reached back behind her so smack Gleb, who only laughed and ducked.

As the fire burned in the hearth an air of contentment and calm settled over the room, enveloping the family in it's warmth. 


	5. A Bloody Revolution

That night Anya found herself unable to sleep, and even as she lay in the comfort of Gleb's embrace, sleep would not come. Anya had just closed her eyes once more, determined to fall asleep, when a sound soft as a whisper startled her awake once more. Sitting up alert Anya looked for the source of the noise, but noted, after looking outside the window, that it couldn't be the wind, as the night air was still and stagnant, most unusual for winter, and it was too high pitched to have been Gleb's gentle and even breaths. The sound had almost been akin to that of a child's whisper. 

The breathy sound came again, this time from out in the hall. Casting a glance towards her sleeping husband Anya rose from bed to investigate. Anya's heart sped up as she stepped out into the hall and called her daughter's name softly, but found the dark hall empty. Looking behind her once more at Gleb Anya stepped further into the hall and timidly made her way towards to living area. 

She jumped and whirled around as the floor boards creaked somewhere behind her. By now Anya's heart had jumped into her throat and stuttered there while she desperately tried to catch her breath. Anya carefully took a few steps back before turning back around and finding herself face to face with a young boy. By now she could swear her heart had stopped beating altogether, though she was hardly paying any attention to that as the moment. 

She could only stare in wide eyed horror as the misty figure beamed up at her and spoke. 

"Common, we've been waiting for you! Hurry up now, you have to do as I say. I am the Tsarovich after all." At this the ghostly child puffed out his chest. 

Anya watched stiff and wide eyed as the boy reached for her hand. As he took it Anya could feel a cold breeze on her hand that made her entire body shudder. Without fully realizing it She allowed the boy to lead to to the living room, her chest tightening with each step they took. 

With shuddering breath the two entered the living room where the child (finally) released her hand, and much to Anya's chagrin and dismay the room was filled with more phantom figures. On the couch sat three girls, each looking apprehensive. Anya noted how the pattern on the fabric of the couch was still visible through the figures. Standing by the hearth with and elbow resting on the mantle staring into the empty space where a fire would be, stood a thick bearded man, and a step or two behind him was a woman who looked rather lost in her melancholy thoughts. 

"Papa! I found her." The boy stated proudly, and at the moment all faces looked towards her. 

"There you are, darling, we were begining to wonder when you'd show up!" The man greeted her with outstretch arms, as if looking for an embrace, and a wide smile. 

Anya took a step back and steadied herself against the door frame. 

"Who are you?" she questioned, her voice quaking with nerves and adrenaline. 

"Do you not remember?" Piped up one of the girls on the couch, whom Anya assumed to be the youngest of the three. 

"Of course she doesn't. If she did why would she ask such a question, Mashka?" The one who appeared the oldest reprimanded, before looking to Anya and speaking, "Right?" 

"I've never met you in my life." Anya spoke quickly, her heart still pounding in her breast. 

"Oh come now, you've always been dramatic, but is this really necessary?" The woman was pulled from her thoughts and spoke sternly at long last. 

"Indeed,  Shvybz, now is not the time for your games." The bearded man addressed her again, more seriously than before.

"Please, who are you." Anya begged. 

"Come now, surely you know who we are." The middle of the girls seated on the couch spoke. 

"...You're the Romanov's..." Anya spoke spoke just above that of a whisper. She had seen a few pictures of the family in Newspapers and such.

"We know who we are. Do you know who you are?" The eldest girl turned the question on Anya.

"I'm Anya Vaganov." Anya said, her eyes flitting about the room, trying to decide was these figures might do. 

"No you're not, silly!" Laughed the boy, drawing Anya's attention to him. 

"What do you mean?" Anya questioned. 

"Your name's not Anya, for one." The boy said as if explaining something to a stupid child. 

"You really don't remember?" The youngest of the sisters on the couch spoke. 

"No, I don't! I can't! Leave me alone." Anya bit out. 

"We can't." The boy spoke again. 

"And why not." Anya asked stubbornly, despite the fear coiling up inside her. 

"Not until you remember anyways." The boy said dismissively. 

"Remember what?" Anya asked stepping back against the wall. 

Anya's eyes widened in terror as red began to bloom across the boys torso. Looking back to the adults Anya's voice caught in her throat and she nearly gagged at the sight of blood falling across their faces. Daring to look over to the girls Anya felt like she was going to be ill and clasped a hand over her mouth. Their own bodies where covered with blood, their rich gowns undoubtedly ruined. 

Unexpectedly Anya felt something hot and sticky on her chest and abdomen. Anya screamed as she looked down and saw blood expanding from where the familiar scars rippled across her skin. Fear welled up in her and tears burned at her eyes. Anya sank down against the wall gasping for breath as the pain ripped through her.

"Anya, Anya! Anya!" She could hear someone calling her name, but it sounded murky, as if she were hearing the words through water. 

"Gleb." She tried to call out for her husband but found her mouth too full with the taste of iron to speak properly. 

The voice calling her name became clearer as her vision began to fade. 

"Anya!" 

Anya gasped, her eyes flying open as she sat up. 

"Breathe, just breathe, Anya." Anya could feel Gleb wrap his arms around her pulling into a comforting embrace. She could feel the tears falling down her cheeks as she clutched Gleb like a life line while he whispered comforting nothings and stroked her hair. "Do you want to talk about it?" 

Anya shook her head in response and buried her face deeper in Gleb's chest. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." Anya whispered shakily. 

"It's alright. Are you okay, Anya?" Gleb asked, stroking a strand of hair away from her forehead. Anya squeezed her eyes shut and swallowed harshly before nodding. 

"Try and get some sleep." Gleb said before laying back down and pulling Anya with him.  

Anya lay there awake for what felt like and eternity after Gleb had fallen back to sleep. Looking over at the clock Anya could see it was nearly three thirty in the morning. Untangling herself from Gleb's arms Anya climbed out bed, stopping and looking over her shoulder when she heard Gleb shift in his sleep. As soon as she was sure that he was asleep Anya continued out of the room and down the hall. 

She had to stop herself outside the living and take a deep breath as her dream came back to her. Gathering as much courage as she could and stepped into the room. Anya felt a cool wave with over her as she was greeted by an empty room. 

Reaching over to the mantle Anya retrieved a box of matches and began to light the oil lamps littered about the room in case of power outages (which were rather frequent).

Sighing Anya fetched herself a cup if tea and wrapped herself up in a blanket, opting to curl up in the comfort of Gleb's arm chair. Closing her eyes Anya tried to rid herself of the memory of the awful dream. Unlike any of the other nightmares she'd had where she could only remember bits and pieces, this one stuck in her mind's eye clear as day. 

The children... Anya's heart always had clenched at the thought of young children being murdered, but now that she was a mother herself the thought seemed to have worsened tenfold. If anything,  _anything,_ happened to Katya... Anya shuddered at the thought, taking a sip of the warm tea to chase away the chill from such morbid thoughts. 

There was something Anya couldn't shake. She knew those faces, and not from the pictures she'd seen, she  _knew_ their faces. Then something dawned on her. There had only been three girls. Weren't there four? 

Standing Anya rushed over to the book case in search of one of the many history books Gleb kept there. Finding one on the topic of the revolution Anya opened it and began flipping through the pages until she found a picture of the Romanovs. Blinking Anya read through the page. Yes, she confirmed, there had been four daughters. Anya looked over the names matching them to the girl's faces. Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and... Anastasia. Looking at the girl Anya felt something. Something about her reminded Anya eerily of her own daughter. 

Why hadn't Anastasia been in her dream, why only the three oldest? 

Looking at the smiling figures Anya could almost imagine being there with them, smiling up at a camera and holding carefully still as the light sparked and a cloud of powder floated into the air. 

The idea was so vivid it could've been a memory. Anya froze at this. Had she remembered something? Shaking her head Anya snapped the book shut and returned it to the shelf before returning herself to her previous seat. 

Pulling her feet up Anya wrapped her arms around her knees and stared off into the distance. Why would the former royal family be begging her to remember something, and why would they speak to her as if she were one of them? She'd surely lost it this time.

As she sat there Anya had begun to absentmindedly hum the tune of the music box. 

"Anya?" Gleb's voice tore Anya back to the present.

Looking back she could see Gleb approaching her before he placed a hand on her shoulder worriedly. 

"Anya. Have you been up this whole time?" Gleb asked furrowing his brow. 

Looking at the clock Anya could see it was six forty-five now. She'd been up for over three hours. 

"I couldn't sleep." Anya shrugged. 

"That bad?" Gleb asked walking around Anya to sit on the couch. 

"I don't know." Anya said and Gleb clocked his head to the side curiously. "I've never have a dream like that before. It felt so real. I-" at this point Anya caught sight if Gleb's uniform and realized that husband or not she was about to tell a Bolshevik officer about a dream involving herself and the Romanovs, decidedly not a good idea. "I'd really rather not think about it." Anya said instead. 

"Try not to dwell on it too much." Gleb said as he stood and took Anya's hand in his own and squeezed it gently. "I have to go to work." Gleb sighed. 

Anya stood and followed him to the door. 

"You do know you can tell me anything, Anya. Anything." Gleb said as he pulled on a gloves looking her in the eyes. 

"I know Gleb, I promise if there was anything you'd be the first to know." Anya promised. 

Gleb hummed before turning back to Anya and wrapping his arms around her, a gesture which she returned. 

"Don't torture yourself about it. They're only dreams, they have as much power as you give them." Gleb whispered leaning down and kissing her cheek. "I love you." Gleb smiled down at Anya. 

"I love you too." Anya said smiling softly up at him as Gleb released her with a great reluctance and slipped out the door into the early morning light. 

Anya stared at the closed door for several minutes before she turned at the sound of small feet pattering down the hall. 

"Mama? Has Papa left yet?" Katya asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. 

"Yes, golubushkadarling, why?" Anya asked as she walked back towards the living room placing her hand on Katya's shoulder, guiding Katya to walk with her. 

"No reason." Katya shrugged before rushing off to get dressed. 

Anya took this time to study her appearance in the mirror above the mantel. She'd seemed to age more in one night than ever. She had dark circles beneath her eyes and her skin seemed to have a sickly pallor about it.

Looking down at the photos lining the mantel one seemed to catch her eye. Picking it up Anya brushed the sleeve of her night gown across the glass to wipe away the fine layer of dust. 

Staring back up at her was the smiling faces of Gleb and herself on their wedding day six years ago. She marveled at how young and carefree they seemed, Gleb had just been a young officer then, and she a penniless street sweeper. How that had all changed. 

"Mama?" Anya looked down next to her to see Katya standing on her tip toes trying to get a look at the photo. "Is that you and Papa?" 

Kneeling down Anya showed Katya the photo. 

"Yes, this was taken on our wedding day." 

"You look so pretty." Katya said in awe running her hand over the glass. "You look like one of the girls in the old photographs." 

Anya's heart nearly stopped at these words. Surely Ekatrina wasn't talking about what Anya thought...? 

"What do you mean?" Anya asked, an air of worry about her words.

"You know, the people who used to be in charge of Russia." Katya peered up at her mother. 

"Shhhh, don't say that." Anya whispered.

"Why not?" The young girl said, furrowing brow in confusion. 

"Someday you'll understand." Anya said and pressed a kiss to Katya's hair. 

"Okay..." Katya said, her voice still laced with confusion. 

"How about you go get your ribbons and I'll do up your hair, hmm?" Anya asked stroking Katya's long hair. 

This seemed to brighten Katya's disposition. 

"Okay mama, I'll be right back!" Katya smiled and ran off down the hall. 

"Let me go get dressed and then I'll get started." Anya called out. 

Stepping back into her bedroom Anya opened her chest of drawers and pulled out a blouse and skirt, pulling on her sweater over the blouse. 

Stopping by the vanity Anya picked up a hair brush and brushed out her own hair before returning out to the living room to find Katya sitting at the dining room table looking through the large book that Anya recognized from the bookshelf that she'd never bother to pick up nor seen Gleb hold. 

"See, Mama, you look like one of these girls." Katya pointed to a picture in the book and Anya looked over her daughter's shoulder to see. "You look like this one." Katya lay a finger under the face of the youngest Romanov daughter. 

"What book is that?" Anya asked flipping it shut, letting Katya's hand book mark the page. 

Reading the title _An In-depth History of Russia_ and opening it to the first page Anya could see the name  _Vaganov_ written in the corner in what was definitely not Gleb's hand writing. It must've belong to his father or mother, then. 

"See, Mama?" Katya asked again flipping it open to the page with the photograph of the Romanovs. 

Lifting the book off the table and into her arms Anya wandered from the dining room back over the mantel to compare the photos. Looking between the photographs Anya found that even herself could not deny the uncanny resemblance. 

"I told you Mama." Katya started proudly. 

"Yes..." Anya breathed out. 

"Can you braid a crown on my head like you did that one time." Katya played with the ends of the ribbon in her hand. 

Looking back Anya smiled and found she soon forgot all the troubles weighing on her mind as she began to expertly part her daughter's hair. 

"Done." Anya announced as she tied the last bow.

"Thanks Mama!" Katya said as she jumped up off the chair and ran down the hall and into Anya's room to peer in her vanity mirror, Anya following after. 

Climbing up on the short stool Katya leaned her hands against the cool wood of the vanity as she looked over her hair. 

"Do you like it?" Anya asked coming up behind Katya and smoothing over any last bumps. 

"It's so pretty, how did you learn to do hair so well?" Katya responded and it took Anya a moment to formulate an answer. 

"I- I really don't know, I've just always known how."

"Can you teach me sometime?" Katya asked turning around to face Anya. 

"Of course." Anya smiled. 

"Is that the music box Papa gave you? Can you play it again, it's so pretty!" Katya begged when she caught sight of the trinket sitting on Anya's bedside table.

Laughing Anya walked over to the table and wound up the music box. The familiar haunting melody filled the room with an air of nostalgia. Sometime through the duration of the song Katya had clambered over the bed to peek around Anya's shoulder to study the spinning figures with her. 

"Who are they?" Katya's sweet high voice cut through the tinkling music, pointing at the figures. 

"I don't know." Anya answered honestly looking hard as their faces. If they were based off of anyone in particular it was hard to tell, as time seemed to have worn away and identifying markings. Anya could make out what she supposed could be a beard on the man and a pair of pearls in the woman's ears and around her neck. 

The pair were dressed in such finery that Anya knew they had to have been someone important, royals even. 

As the music box slowly wound down and the melody left it's final ringing notes in their ears Anya and Katya blinked as if coming out of a trance. Setting the music box down Anya turned to her daughter and wrapped her arms around her, holding Katya close. 

"I love you, you know that?" Anya whispered. 

"I know Mama. I love you too." Katya snuggled close to her mother's chest. 

Smiling Anya stroked a lose strand of silky dark hair back from Ekatrina's face. 

Sitting up Katya smiled sweetly at Anya before sliding off the bed and running out of the room. 

Anya followed Katya out of the room after a short while and wandered back out into the kitchen. As she came upon the kitchen table Anya noticed the book still laying open on the page showing the photograph of the Romanovs. 

Anya bent over and cradled the book in her arms once more feeling a strange sensation of familiar-ness rush through her. It was almost as if she could remember posing for that very photo, it came to her as quickly as the, memory? No, idea from the night before had. 

 _Three other girls stood beside her behind two chairs. Seated on the two chairs were two adults and a little boy was sitting in the man's lap. As the camera flashed Anya was brought back into reality_.

Anya shook her head once more to rid herself of the thought before closing the book and walking over to the bookshelf. She held it out to place it back in it's slot but then noticed the book she'd looked through in the wee hours of the morning and seemed to think better if it. 

Looking around as if someone else might be watching Anya took both the book in her hands and the one from the night before and hurried back to her room and back over to her nightstand. Pulling the drawer open she stuffed the books into it before closing it roughly. 

Though she knew she shouldn't and if she was caught with the books the intentions could be misinterpreted and the repercussions would be grave, Anya had a strange fascination and had resolved to read over the Romanov chapters. 

Looking up from where she knelt Anya found herself at eye-level with the music box and somehow felt that perhaps her suspicions were not unfounded, no matter how much she wished it were not so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you are unaware, I am currently taking Gleb x Anya commissions from all my wonderful readers, and as of now there is still room for more! If you have any ideas you'd like to see written into a one-shot feel free to email me at allthemonsters02@gmail.com using Glenya Request in the subject box. Hurry, because there is a limited amount of submissions I will be taking! You can find the published submissions at: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16412702/chapters/38423246 
> 
> As always, please leave any questions, comments, concerns, and or interpretive dances in the comment section below.  
> Love y'all, Yanna.


	6. The Past Returned

That night Anya waited until Gleb had fallen asleep before sitting up silently pulling the drawer to her bedside table open to retrieve the books. Casting a quick glance over her shoulder Anya checked to see that her husband was still asleep before opening the first book and beginning to read. 

As her eyelids began to droop hours later Anya hastily tucked the books back away and had barely managed to shut the drawer before sleep pulled her under it's soothing waves. 

Anya found herself standing in a familiar hall, only this time instead of a dingy sort of light the hallway was bathed in a heavenly glow as if someone finally had enough sense to open a window. Looking down the corridor Anya could make out the ever present door. 

However, this was far different from any of the nightmares she'd had, no one chasing her and there was no sense of urgency or panic, just... calm, in a resigned sort of peaceful way. 

Anya began to take slow steps towards the door, testing to see if the hall would extend and the door would be forever out of her reach, like in all of her previous dreams. Anya was surprised when she found the door coming closer to her, rather than getting farther away with every step. 

Once she was within arms reach Anya lifter her hand to the handle before hesitating. Whatever was behind this door would change her life forever, and Anya wasn't entirely prepared for that. But she had to know what lay beyond it, it was important. Stalling no more Anya boldly turned the door knob and pushed the door open. 

Anya gasped as she walked into a small parlor where a family seemed to be taking their afternoon tea. 

"There you are, we were begining to wonder when you'd show up." The man stood up and smiled at her through his thick beard. 

Tears began to form in Anya's eyes and she barely noticed the words slip out of her mouth. 

"Papa." 

Without thanking Anya ran into the man's waiting embrace and clutched tightly at his shirt, crying softly. 

"You've remembered." He said matter-of-factly.

"Yes." Anya confirmed. 

There were a couple of excited gasps from the girls before they too joined in the hug. 

"Wait for me!" Yelled a child before rushing forward to wrap himself around her legs. 

"Oh, Anastasia." A woman's voice spoke softly and Anya found her forehead being peppered with kisses from her mother. 

"Mama." Anya whispered as the family sunk slowly to the floor. 

"I remember, I remember." Anya sobbed. "I remember you Mama, Papa. I remember the mauve room and tea, and OTMA," Anya turned to her sisters. "I remember you Olga, and Maria, and Tatiana. And you too, Alexei." Anya ruffled her little brother's hair. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to forget." She sobbed into her hands, feeling shame redden her cheeks.

Anya could feel her father pull her into a comforting embrace. "No one can hold anything against you. We are all so proud of you and all you have become." he spoke. 

"And we all love you so much." her mother brushed away a lose strand of hair from her face.   

"You must return now to your world, and we to ours. 

"Must you go?" Anya lamented. 

"Our time has already come and passed, now is your turn." Anya looked down and felt her throat tighten at her father's words. "Oh my dear Shvybz, do not mourn, we will always be here." he pointed at Anya's heart.

Shaking her head slowly Anya spoke, "Please don't go, Papa." 

Taking her face in his hands her father pressed a warm kiss to her forehead. 

Blinking Anya opened her eyes and sat up looking around the room. Looking out the window she could see the sun had just begun to rise, washing the treetops and roof in it's golden rays. 

Looking over in the bed Anya could see Gleb had already gotten up, though the sheets were still warm, so he hadn't been up long.  Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed Anya stared blankly out the window before the dream came back to her. 

Her eyes began to wander wildly around the room as Anya processed what had happened. She could remember, and it was far to vivid to have been sparked from her late night readings. Bits and pieces of a life long past flashed before her eyes.

Anya's breath began to quicken as the implication of it all settled on her. Her hand flew to the scars on her abdomen. 

That night, the gunshots, the screams, the blood, the pain. All of it, came flying back to her. Someone stooping down over her as she struggled for air around the blood filling her mouth. Being laid in the back of a truck next to the bodies of her family. The cold, cold woods. Being carried away from it all by an unknown man. 

_She was laid down on the side of a road that would soon grow busy with the coming of day, the man kneeling next to her apologizing and explaining that this was all he could do for her before disappearing off into the dark woods, her vision going dark._

Catching her breath Anya placed a hand over her racing heart. 

"I'm Anastasia." She whispered quietly. 

"Did you say something?" Gleb called as he came around the doorway into their room, buttoning up his uniform jacket. 

"No, nothing. I was just... thinking out loud." Anya mumbled.

"Anya, you're as white as a ghost, are you sure you're feeling alright?" Gleb asked kneeling down in front of her and pressing the back of his hand to her forehead. 

"Yes I'm fine I just- I had a strange dream last night." Anya explained.

"Do you remember it?" Gleb asked. 

"No, I can't, I just know it was odd." Anya said, hating herself for how easy it was to lie to her husband. 

Gleb didn't look convinced but stood up and walked away nonetheless, casting a worried look at her as he left. Anya gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

A new war was raging itself inside her, how could she tell Gleb? What would he do? Surely he wouldn't report her, would he? Anya felt even more guilt coil in her stomach at the thought of not only lying to her husband, but doubting his love for her too. Groaning Anya buried her head in her hands. This was quickly becoming all to overwhelming. What was she to do? 

"Here." Looking up Anya could see Gleb holding out a cup of hot tea to her, q gentle expression on his face. "You'll make yourself sick if you keep on like this." Gleb spoke as he sat down on the bed next to her.

"I know." Anya took a sip of her tea, flinching slightly when it burned her tongue. 

"Careful it's hot." Gleb spoke, a hint of a smile lingering in the corners of his mouth.

"I figured." Anya's brows shot up jestingly as she set the cup aside. 

Anya leaned back against his shoulder and closed her eyes, trying to simply exist in the moment when Gleb lifted his arm and wrapped it around her so that she was leaning against his chest. 

"Gleb?" Anya asked and felt rather than heard him make a humming noise in response. "What if whatever is behind that door in my dreams changes everything?" 

"What do you mean?" Gleb asked, clearly confused. 

"What if when I finally get through I learn something about myself that changes who I am?" Anya clarified.

"Anya, is there something you're trying to tell me?" Gleb asked, the worry he was trying to hold back coming through. 

"No, it's nothing. I just- I don't want to worry you." Anya began to get up, but Gleb grabbed her hand as she stood, stopping her from leaving. 

"Anya. Nothing could ever change my mind about you. I love you for you." Gleb stood taking both her hands in his own. "I made a promise to you, Anya, six years ago. Do you remember? To love and cherish every moment with you. To love and cherish you. As long as we both shall live." Gleb's fingers found their way underneath Anya's chin, lifting it to look into her eyes. 

"I'm sorry." Was all that Anya could say and Gleb pulled her into his arms, holding her close. "I love you so much Gleb, I'm just so scared of it all. The dreams, that damn door, of losing you." At this Anya began to cry softly. 

Gleb shushed her softly before pressing a kiss to her hair and whispering, "You're never going to lose me, Anya." he took her hand and pressed it his chest, "Do you feel that?" Gleb asked and Anya nodded upon feeling his heartbeat beneath her fingers. "My heart beats for you, and as long as my heart is beating I will always be here for you. Until the end of time." 

Looking up into Gleb's eyes and seeing nothing but sincerity there made Anya reach up around his neck and pull him down into a kiss that she hope would convey every emotion she felt in that moment. 

"MAMA!!!!!" They broke away from the kiss as Katya sped down the hall and burst into their room at the speed of light. "MY TOOTH CAME OUT!" She proudly held of the tooth for both the adults to see. 

"Oh...uhm... " Anya began to look around the room before picking up a handkerchief and holding it out for Katya to put the tooth in. "Here." 

"Look Papa!" Katya smiled wide showing off the new gap in her teeth. 

"Would you look at that." Gleb smiled kneeling down to get a better look. 

"I lost my first tooth!" Katya bounced around happily, though it was barely intelligible due to the fact she had said all this without closing her mouth once. 

"Careful, you'll knock it out of your hand and lose it for real." Anya said to get Katya calmed down. 

With an ecstatic squeal Katya continued to jump up and down excitedly before rushing back out of the room. 

"She's growing up so fast." Gleb mused from somewhere behind Anya. 

"Isn't she?" Anya replied as Gleb came up behind her and wrapped her arms around her, allowing Anya to lean back against him.

"Take Katya on a walk, go to the grocery, do something to get out of the house, Anya, you've been cooping yourself up in the flat too long." Gleb suggested.

Anya hummed in agreement before stepping away from Gleb and over to the vanity. Sitting down and picking up her brush Anya began to brush out the braid she'd slept on, leaving a gentle wave in her hair. 

"I'll be bowing out, then." Gleb said, catching sight of the time. "I'll see you this evening." Gleb squeezed Anya's shoulder before leaving the room. Anya could vaguely hear Gleb saying goodbye to Katya followed by the sound of the door closing behind him. 

"Mama, can I brush my hair with you?" Katya appeared in the corner of the vanity mirror, holding up her own hair brush. 

Moving over Anya gestured to the now empty space on the vanity stool beside her and Katya clambered up next to her her. 

"How do you feel about going for a walk later?" Anya asked, beginning to braid her hair up over her head. 

"Can we go to the river?" Katya asked looking up towards her mother with doefull brown eyes. 

"It's frozen over, there won't be any swans or ducks." Anya said. 

"I know, but it's still pretty." Katya smiled as Anya began to gather her long hair up into a braid, Anya smiling at her daughter's seemingly inherited love for the Neva. Finishing the braid Anya spoke up once more. "Go and put some warm clothes on and I'll be out in a minute." 

"Okay." Katya smiled before running off down the hall.

Anya looked after her for a second before resting her forehead in the palm of her hand and muttering to herself, "What to do, what to do?"

Looking up Anya let out a long sigh. She could do this. She'd done it for nearly ten years already, even if she didn't know it, what was another day? Except this time she knew who she was, and that seemed to make all the difference in the world. 

A new fear rooted itself deep within Anya, not only would she be in possible danger simply walking down the street, but what about Ekatrina? Everyone knew who they were, being the Deputy Commissioner's wife and daughter was not a discreet thing in Petersburg, or Leningrad, or whatever they were calling it these days. 

 Biting her lip Anya looked down the hall and sucked in a fearful breath. No, they had to continue on like normal, or else people would definitely suspect something. No one had discovered her yet, she was practically safe, besides anyone who'd ever really seen the Romanov's were already dead, there was practically no one left to recognize her. 

Anya tried to ease her troubled mind by wrapping herself in this thought, but even so it still felt like a false safety, like a child believing that hiding under a blanket means the monsters can't see you and therefore can't eat you. 

"Katya, are you ready?" Anya called from the small entrance hall, pulling on her coat. 

"Coming, Mama!" Katya shouted rounding the corner swiftly as Anya pulled Katya's coat down from the peg to hand it to her. "Thank you." 

After helping Katya into her coat Anya began to usher Katya out the door before locking it behind her. Taking Katya's gloved hand in her own the two began off down the street, the early morning sun warming their faces while the wind reddened the tips of their noses and ears. 

Looking both ways mother and daughter quickly crossed the street and caught their breaths once safely on the opposite side, when someone called out to them. 

"Anya! Anya!" Looking down the side walk Anya could see Cedrik waving his arm around widely and making his way towards them through the crowds. 

"Uncle Cedrik!" Katya called excitedly. 

"Katyusha!" Cedrik grinned before kneeling down and roughing up her hair, sending the short ends flying about.

"Hello, Cedrik." Anya greeted as he rose to his full height and giving him a quick hug. "How have you been?" she inquired.

"Whomever said war's hell never had a pregnant wife." Cedrik laughed. 

"I'm sure Gleb has some stories of his own." Anya chuckled, remembering her own mood swings.

"What are you two up to today? I've no need to arrest you, have I?" Cedrik said, his crooked smile giving away his jest, but the words quickly sent panic through Anya. "I'm only joking..." Cedrik said seeming to catch sight of Anya's expression. 

"I know, I'm sorry." Anya quickly apologized. "Do they train all of you to have the same sense of humor? Because between you and Gleb I swear..." Anya tried to lighten the air. "No, there would be no reason to arrest us that I can think of, unless simply going for a walk and picking up some groceries is illegal now." 

"I'll leave you two to it, then." Cedrik said with a chuckle. "Are you feeling quiet well Anya, Gleb said you've been rather stressed recently, and no offense, but you are looking it." Cedrik said, his brows knitting in concern for his sister-in-law.

"I'm sorry, I've not been myself lately Gleb's right, there's just been a lot happening." Anya said, shaking her head. 

"Feel better soon then, Anya." Cedrik put a gentle hand on Anya's shoulder as he passed, bending down to ruffle Katya's hair again, "Katyusha." 

"Bye, Uncle Cedrik!" Katya called waving after him. "Common Mama, let's go to the bridge." Katya began to pull a slightly dazed Anya towards the Neva. 

Their breaths floated away in the air as Katya and Anya stepped up onto the bridge. Looking over the railing Anya could see the frozen river bellow, and vaguely wondered when it would run with it's normal ferocity once more. 

"Mama, how do the fishes survive when the river freezes?" Katya asked, tearing Anya from her musings. 

"I suppose we'll have to see if we can find the answer in one of Papa's books because I don't really know." Anya said intrigued herself. "That is a really good question." 

"What does Papa mean when he says not to ask questions?" Katya asked innocently, and Anya's heart dropped. Why did children have to be so innocent and inquisitive.

"Sometimes we're not supposed to ask questions, like when Mama tells you to watch your face, you don't ask why, you just do it." Anya supplied. 

"Yeah, but I know why I should wash my face when you tell me to, it's good for me. But what if I don't understand why I should do it, then can I ask?" Katya scrunched up her nose and squinted. 

"Sometimes it's just better not to ask. Asking questions can be very dangerous sometimes." Anya spoke barely audible, her voice blowing away in the wind. 

"Is that something else I'll understand when I'm older?" Katya asked and Anya felt a sad smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. 

"I'm afraid so." 

Russia truly was no place for a child as innocent as Katya, or any child for that matter. They simply asked to many questions for their own good. While many parents in other places seemed to think it good or a sign of intelligence, the simple childhood curiosity was something mother's in Russia feared and quickly tried to stomp out. 

Swallowing Anya looked out over the frozen Neva and held Katya's hand tightly, wishing somehow she could erase all the dangers from her daughters world, hoping that Katya would never have to understand one day, that she could simply be young and inquisitive forever, without a worry in the world. But wasn't that the hopeless wish of all mothers, that their children would never have to face the world as they themselves did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave any questions, comments, concerns, and or interpretive dances in the comment section below! Also, I'm still taking in commissions! @allthemonsters02@gmail.com *cough cough* *hint hint* *wink wink*


	7. Igor

"Common, let's head back." Anya said as she knelt down and adjusted Katya's coat collar to better keep out the chill. 

"Okay." Katya said, oblivious to her mother's change in mood, watching as a flock of birds flew overhead. 

As they walked back to the flat hand in hand Anya felt the hairs on the back of her neck prickle and stopped mid-step, Katya nearly colliding with her. 

"Mama?" Katya asked quizzically, looking up at her mother through furrowed brows. 

Looking around Anya could see someone disappear into one of the alleys but not before she made eye contact with the man. Had he been the one Anya had felt watching them? Had he been trailing them? If so, for how long, and why? Could he have been a spy? Did he know? A million questions flew through Anya's head before a short tugging at her arm turned her attention down to Katya. 

"I'm sorry, I just thought- it's nothing." Anya spoke quickly before tugging on her daughter's hand and trying to walk fast, but be careful so that their pace was not fast enough to draw unwanted attention. 

Anya swiveled her head around every few moments to look around her. She knew it would only make her seem even more suspicious but she couldn't help but check their surroundings every so often. 

Anya nearly jumped out of her skin when someone came up beside them and took a hold of her arm gently. 

"Mr. Soldolski!" Katya cried happily at the sight of their elderly neighbor who smiled down at the child before leaning close and whispering to Anya, 

"There's a man who's been following you since you passed the Ivan's Grocery." 

"I know." Anya replied shakily. 

"How are you neighbors on this wonderful morning?" Igor spoke more loudly this time. 

"We are very good this morning, and yourself?" Anya caught on, pulling Katya closer to her as they passed a group of soldiers on the corner. 

"I find myself in excellent health despite the weather. Would Mrs. Vaganova and the little Glebneva care to join me for mid morning tea?" He asked as they turned the corner to their street, the flat's lining either side somehow seeming to loom over them intimidatingly. 

"Why thank you, Igor, but we'd hate to impose-" Anya started before the older man cut her off with a wave of his hand. 

"Nonsense, it was I who extended the invitation, was it not? Come, come, I'll put the kettle on." He smiled before whispering, "after all it's not everyday I get to invite a Romanov over for tea." 

Anya's heart stopped and all the color drained from her face. 

"You have nothing to fear, I promise," Igor whispered as he ushered them through the door before glancing around and stepping inside himself. Anya pulled Katya closer to her as he closed the door and turned to address them again. "As I said, there is nothing to fear, I'm what you would call a royalist." 

"What do you mean?" Anya asked confused. 

"Perhaps we should talk over tea." Igor passed them and went into the kitchen where Anya could see him filling a kettle over the sink. Looking down Anya panicked when she noticed that Katya was no longer at her side and had slipped away. 

"Katya?" Anya called looking around herself frantically only to find her seated at the kitchen table looking through several papers. 

"Katya... what?" Anya questioned when she drew nearer to see Katya looking through what appeared to be several sketches. 

"Did you draw all these, Mr. Soldolski?" Katya looked up at long last. 

"Ekatrina, you should ask before looking through other people's things." Anya admonished. 

"No, no, it's alright. And yes, I did draw them, do you like them?" Igor chuckled. 

"Yes... I wish I could draw as good as this." Katya looked over the sketches again. 

"Do you  like drawing?" Igor asked, to which Katya simply nodded her reply not once looking up from the sketches. "I have some spare paper and utensils you could use if you'd like to." 

Katya looked up in awe at their neighbor and smiled widely. 

"May I?" Katya turned to Anya who chewed her lip between her teeth. 

"If Mr. Igor's okay with it." Anya said. 

"I have no qualms with it, besides I'd like to speak to the Mrs. Vaganova in private." Igor turned to retrieve the promised art supplies.

"Please, Mr. Soldolski, it's Anya." Anya said before the kettle began to whistle and she beat him to the stove turning the flame off. 

"Of course, my apologies." Igor bowed his head politely. "Here you are, young Glebneva." He said as he places the pencils and paper in front of Katya before turn back to the counter and pulling down two old Russian glass tea cups and pouring the hot water in them and adding teabags to the cups. 

"Little ones have big ears," Igor nodded to Katya, "let us talk in the living room." 

Anya nodded understandingly and followed after the elderly man, casting one last glance back to Katya who seemed all too consumed in her art project.

After entered the living room, Igor closed the door behind him and festered to the couch where Anya took her que to sit on the floral printed divan and accepting the offered cup of tea with a small nod of thanks. 

"The child does not know, I assume." Igor took a sip of his tea. 

"No. The mouths of little ones can be bigger than their ears." Anya said looking around and morbidly thinking what would happen if a soldier were to enter the flat full of imperial relics. "Why are you doing this?" 

"I met the Tsar once, many years ago. Your father was just a boy then." Igor recalled, a small smile tugging at the corner of his withered lips. "I worked at the palace for a summer." 

Anya didn't know what to this and simply sat listening. 

"Enough about me." Igor stated with a wave of his hand, "Where have you been for the past ten years?"

"I couldn't remember?" Anya tried.

"How do you mean?" Igor furrowed his brows. 

"I didn't know who I was until it all just... came back to me. It started Christmas when Gleb gave me a music box he found on a raid. With it came flashes of things, memories. Even now I'm not entirely certain..." Anya admitted. 

Igor looked perplexed at this information  before asking, "Your husband, does he know?" 

"How can I tell him? He's a Bolshevik officer..." Anya but her lip and stared off into the fire. 

"Does he love you?" Anya looked up suddenly at Igor's words. "Does he love your daughter?"

"Yes." Anya said without hesitation.

"Then you can trust him. Love can turn the hearts of even the most dedicated." Igor said softly.

"I'm so scared." Anya whispered. 

"I know. These are dangerous times." Igor sat down next to her. "And if they have people tailing you-"

"There's always been people watching, I'm the Deputy Commissioner's wife, the Bolshevik's want anything they can get just for the excuse of purging their ranks." Anya cut him off with a pointed look. "They suspect things when there is nothing there to suspect." 

"However, there is now. Surely you've heard the rumours." Igor said. 

Anya swallowed and nodded her head. 

"Then you know they will be watching and bringing anyone baring any sort of resemblance in for intense questioning." 

"I know." Anya looked down and began to fiddle with the hems of her sleeves. "What should I do?" she whispered. 

"Your grandmother, in Paris, she is looking for you." Anya looked up at Igor as he continued. "I fear that only there you _might_ be safe. Whatever delusions you are harboring of your safety here are just that, delusions. You have to leave." Igor stressed the word might.

"I understand." Anya spoke. "How do I get to Paris, and what about my family? I have no intention of breaking the vows I made six years ago." 

"And I'm not asking you to. Your daughter is in as much danger as yourself, though she does not bare the name, she is a Romanov heir nonetheless." Igor said. 

Groaning Anya buried her head in her hands. "I have to tell Gleb... he'll have a hard time of it... but there's no other option."

"You'll find you have plenty of allies if you know where to look. I would recommend you to an old friend and officer, Blinsky, but he seems to have gone quiet in recent days." Igor spoke and Anya immediately knew what he met. 

Nodding once more Anya looked over to the clock on the mantel before standing quickly and beginning to thank Igor. 

"Thank you so much for your advice and the tea, Mr. Soldolski, but we really must be going. Gleb will be home shortly. I-" Anya stopped mid sentence when Igor took hold of her hand and pressed his lips to it before bending on one knee and bowing. 

"It was a pleasure and a privilege to have tea with you, Madame Vaganova." 

"Please," Anya placed a hand on his shoulder and helped him to his feet, "There is no need." 

He looked at her with such wonder that Anya felt something in her break and she quickly hugged the old man, whispering thank you's over and over. Pulling away Anya curtsied slightly and smiled. 

"Ekatrina?" Anya called as they left the living room. 

"Just a moment, Mama, I'm almost finished." Katya called from the kitchen table where she was scribbling away furiously. 

Anya stepped up behind her daughter and looked over Katya's shoulder at the picture Katya was working so hard on. 

"Done." Katya announced, proudly holding up the picture of St. Basil's cathedral. 

"It's beautiful." Anya said, wondering at how Katya had managed to draw a near perfect rendition of the building without a reference. 

"I drew one for you too, Mr. Soldolski!" Katya grabbed a second drawing off the table and ran up to him handing him the paper with a drawing of a matryoshka doll. 

"Thanks you, Glebneva." Igor patted her head. 

"Grab your coat Katya, we have to go home now." Anya said smiling softly at her daughter. 

"Yes, Mama." Katya said and back over to where she was sitting pulled her coat on after picking it up off the back of the chair. 

"Thank you again, Mr. Soldolski, for the tea and allowing Ekatrina to use some of your art supplies." Anya smiled. 

"Yes, thank you." Katya echoed coming to stand by her mother. 

"You are both very welcome." Igor gave a short bow before leading them to the front door, and bowing his head again slightly as Anya and Katya left. 

Anya and Katya hurried quickly up the short walkway and up to the stoop where Anya pulled out the key and began fumbling with it and the lock until the door unlocked. Opening the door Anya let Katya and herself in, closing the door behind them and shaking off the cold once more. 

"What should we fix for dinner? Your father will be home shortly." Anya asked, to which Katya only replied with a hum and shrug of her shoulders as she followed her mother into the kitchen. "How about soup?" Anya looked over to Katya. 

"That sounds nice. It is really cold outside today." Katya said as she sat down at the table. 

"That's what I thought." Anya agreed as she pulled a pit down from where it hung and put it under the tap to begin filling it with water. 

The front door opening caught both of their attention as Gleb entered the flat.

"We're in the kitchen!" Anya called out over her shoulder. "Would you mind cutting the potatoes?" Anya gestured with her free hand over to the said vegetables sitting on the counter. 

"Not at all." Gleb leaned over and pecked Anya's cheek on the way over to the potatoes. "How was your day, solnyshko?" Gleb asked and Katya looked up from where she was meticulously organizing her new crayons by colour. 

Shrugging Katya turned back to her organizing and answered, "Mama and I went for a walk today, and then Mama started acting kinda funny." At this Gleb cast a glance at Anya and raised his eyebrow at which she frowned and furrowed her brows looking over to Katya. "And then Mr. Soldolski invited us over for tea and he even let me use some of his art supplies, look!" Katya held up the picture she'd drawn proudly showing it off to her father, who smiled and praised the artwork.

"Acting funny?" Gleb asked later that night when they when he slipped into bed next to Anya. 

"It was nothing, Gleb." Anya sighed and placed her book aside. 

"Since when do you read Mikhail Saltykov-Scherdrin?" Gleb asked noticing the book she'd placed aside. Somewhere along the way Anya had come up with the brilliant plan of placing another book's jacket over the ones containing Romanov history so she might read them during the day, as she was finding it helped her remember bits and pieces, and more often than not Anya even found herself correcting incorrectly recalled historical events. And as it just so happened that the only other book in their personal library that would fit the book she was currently reading, was a book full of Mikhail Saltykov-Scherdrin satire, something she never did care for. 

"I got bored." Anya shrugged. 

"What's been up with you, Anya? Has something happened? Why won't you tell me anything- is there something I've done?" Gleb asked exasperated. 

"Gleb, no, there's nothing you've done, it's just-" Anya struggled to formulate words. 

"Just what?" Gleb asked the crease in his brow becoming somehow even more prominent. 

"I've remembered some things from my past, and I just need to process it all, that all. I swear. I promise, I'll tell you, It's just- I'm sorry." Anya struggled to explain, looking down and picking at the hem of the blanket. 

"No. I shouldn't have pushed you." Gleb spoke softly, lifting her chin with his hand and making her look at him. 

"What ever you've remembered... does it... change anything about us?" Anya could hear the fear in his voice. 

"No," she reached up and took his face between her hands, "of course not Gleb. I still love you, I will always love you." 

Gleb simply stared at her for a tender moment before surging forward and pulling her into a kiss. 

"Good." He whispered as the kiss ended. "Because you're stuck with me forever." Gleb smiled down at Anya who couldn't help but smile back.

"Good, common, let's get some rest, it's late." Anya reluctantly pulled away and reached over to turn the oil lamp on her bedside table down to the point where the flame flickered out. 

Gleb silently agreed and pulled Anya closer to him where she promptly tucked her head beneath his chin. 

"Gleb?" Anya whispered, and continued at hearing him hum in response. "Would you still love me if my name wasn't Anya?" 

"What do you mean?" Gleb asked, running his hand through her hair. 

"You love Anya. But what if my name wasn't Anya before. What if when I remember my past, who I was, who I am, what if it changes me?" Anya clarified. 

"Anya, you are too powerful a force to changed like that. When you remember your past you'll know who you are, but I believe that it won't change the person you've become, perhaps just how you look at life." Gleb said. 

"Thank you." Anya mumbled into his neck, and vaguely felt him press a kiss to the crown of her head before she drifted off to sleep. 

Much like many nights before, Gleb found himself awoken by Anya's half whispered mumblings. Something he'd learned about Anya during the many years they'd been together was that she was a sleep talker, well more mumbler, but still. Sometimes when he woke up in the middle of the night or found himself unable to sleep, Gleb would simply lay and listen to Anya's mostly amusing ramblings, leaving Gleb to often wonder what went on in her head sometimes, though it seemed recently her dreams were less than pleasant. 

Gleb had brushed a strand of golden hair away from Anya's face and had settled back down to go back to sleep when Anya's mumblings became mostly coherent and caught his attention. 

"Nana... please... don't go." Anya muttered, her face scrunching up before relaxing once more. 

Gleb sat up and had placed his hand on her shoulder, prepared to wake her if her dream turned any more sour. 

"Nana please, it's me... Anastasia." 

Gleb pulled his hand back as if he'd been burned and his heart leapt into his throat. No, it couldn't be. It wasn't possible. There was no way that Anya had just said that, these Anastasia rumors were beginning to get to him. Gleb groaned lightly and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. 

"I can remember..." Gleb looked up and felt a sinking feeling deep in the pit of his stomach as Anya continued before rolling over, her voice becoming almost inaudible and muffled by the pillow, but still clear enough to understand. "..it's me, Nana, Anastasia." 

Turning Gleb sat on the edge of the bed and tried desperately to catch his breath. His eyes roamed the room as he tried desperately to understand what he'd just heard.

Shaking his head Gleb cursed under his breath and reached over to his bedside stand and pulled open the drawer. Reaching inside Gleb pulled an old an old metal cigarette box that had once belonged to his father and pulled one out. He hadn't smoked in years, he'd quit when he noticed how Anya would wrinkle her nose at the smell of cigarette smoke, but now he'd never felt the craving for one more than this moment. 

Anya blinked awake at Gleb's moments and immediately wrinkled her nose and buried it into her pillow at the smell of cigarette smoke. Looking back over her shoulder Anya could see Gleb sitting upright on the side of the bed, a halo of smoke circling his head. 

"Gleb?" Anya sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. He seemed to stiffen at the sound of her voice, and she could vaguely make out his silhouette in the dark as his shoulder expanded when he took another drag from the cigarette. 

"Is there something you'd like to tell me?" Gleb's voice was sharp, and Anya was suddenly reminded of her husband's position within the government. 

"What do you mean, Gle-" 

"Don't. Lie. To. Me, Anya." Gleb cut her off before looking back over his shoulder. "Or do you prefer, Anastasia." 

Anya felt her heart drop into her stomach and her mouth was suddenly dry. 

"Gleb-"  Anya tried before he cut her off. 

"If you really are Anastasia, do you think history wants you to have lived?" 

"Yes." Anya spoke, the word barely audiable before continuing, "Why don't you?" 

"The Romanov's were given everything," Gleb ground out, "and gave back nothing." 

"What are you going to do?" Anya whispered as her hands began to tremble. 

"Do I have a choice?" Gleb's voice broke, betraying his emotions. 

"Yes. You've always have a choice." Anya's words came out stronger than she meant it to. 

"No!" Gleb stood abruptly from the bed and shouted before freezing and falling silent as both he and Anya listened for any disturbances from Katya's room. When there came none Gleb continued quieter but none the less harsh. "You don't understand. I _never_ had a choice." 

"You do now." Anya looked up to stare back into Gleb's eyes. "But you're afraid, Gleb Vaganov. You've never had a choice before and now you do and you don't know what to do with this little freedom. Go on then, follow your orders. Kill me, after it is all my fault whom I happen to be." Anya spat and Gleb shook his head as if trying rid himself of her words. "Just know that Ekatrina is just as much a Romanov as I am." 

This seemed to hit something deep within Gleb and a choked sob escaped his lips and he turned leaning elbow above his head on the wardrobe. Instantly Anya felt a twinge of regret for how harsh her words had been, but not for their content. The smoke from the still burning cigarette floated eerily around the room like specters. 

"Gleb?" Anya whispered as she carefully rose from the bed and tread across the room. Gleb didn't move nor respond until Anya lifted her hand and placed it gently between his shoulder blades. 

Turning Gleb looked down at her and Anya sucked in a breath at the wetness glistening in the moonlight on Gleb's cheeks. Lifting the hand not holding the smoldering cigarette Gleb places it on Anya's cheek. 

"Do you still love me?" Anya whispered, hating how her voice cracked and her eyes watered at the possibility of rejection. 

"You're still you. You're still my Anya." Gleb whispered back. "How could I not." 

"I'm not Gleb." Anya began to cry. "I'm not your Anya, not anymore." 

"Yes you are. You'll always be _my_ Anya." Gleb wiped away Anya's tears with his thumb. 

With a soft sob Anya rushed forward and buried her head in Gleb's chest. Slowly Gleb wrapped his arms around her, carefully holding the cigarette away from Anya and pressing his nose to the crown of her head. 

"I'm so scared." Anya whispered into Gleb's chest. 

"I know." Gleb held her tighter. 

"What are we going to do?" Anya asked fearfully pulling back to look up at Gleb. 

"I don't know." Gleb admitted, "But we'll figure something out. I promise." 

Anya nodded and rested her head once more against Gleb's chest. 

"I'll think of something. I promise." Gleb whispered more to himself than to Anya as the world around him seemed to come crashing down in a pile rubble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boy! So we had some big things happen. We're finally getting into the action. As always, please leave any comments, questions, concerns, and or interpretive dances in the comment section below!


	8. Wanted: Dead, and Most Definitely Not Alive

_Something._ There had to be something Gleb could do to save his family. Gleb rubbed his chin and looked down at the paving stones beneath his feet. Realizing his posture Gleb immediately straighten looked out over Leningrad, wondering at his predicament. 

The warm air of the office building stung slightly as Gleb stepped in leaving the cold behind. 

"Sir," one of the secretaries caught his attention, "There's a call from Gorlinsky waiting for you in your office."

His heart seemed to leap into his throat and fall into his stomach all at once as he tried to comprehend what his superior wanted. 

"Yes, thank you." Gleb answered in what he hoped was an even tone before continuing towards his office. 

Once inside Gleb closed the door behind him and leaned back against it shutting his eyes and letting out a huff of air out through his nose. Gathering himself up once more he sat himself down at the desk and pulled the telephone over to call Gorlinsky. 

Every second seemed to drag on longer than the last as Gleb waited for Gorlinsky to pick up, until finally the line clicked and his superior's 's voice grouched out his name. 

"Vaganov." 

"Sir," Gleb couldn't help but swallow, "You wanted to speak to me?" 

"Yes, it's about Anastasia." 

Gleb thanked the heavens that he wasn't physically standing in front of Gorlinsky at that moment as his heart seemed to stop and he nearly dropped the the receiver. 

"What about her sir?" Gleb managed. All sorts of thought were running through his head, what if they'd found Anya out and arrested her? What about Katya, were they alright? Was his family in danger?

"She's alive, I'm almost certain of it. Gathering from your report and doing some digging of my own it would appear that the Romanov girl is out there, and I want her found. I trust you know your duties." Gorlinsky stated. 

"Yes sir." Gleb confirmed.

"Good, now track her down and end these infernal rumours." Gleb couldn't help but flinch at his superior's tone.

"And what of the impostors sir?" Gleb asked. 

"Use your imagination. Just be sure not to be public about it, we don't want the real Anastasia finding us out and going too deep into hiding. I want this hunt short, sweet, and simple, I trust you can keep this all under wraps." Gorlinsky said.

"Yes sir, I won't let you down." Gleb said automatically before flinching at how blatant lie. 

"Good, do not fail me." With Gorlinsky's final words the line went dead, an eerie reminder of what would certainly become of not only himself, but his family if he failed, or anyone found out.

Groaning Gleb rubbed his eyes with the heels of his palms before bringing his hands up over his forehead and into his hair. What was he to do? He had to protect his family. 

There was a light knock at the door before one of the secretaries peeked around it.

"Sir?" She peeped out timidly. 

"Yes, come in, sorry." Gleb waved her in.

"I've been told to bring these to you up to you." She produced a stack of paper. 

"Yes, thank you." Gleb reached out and took the papers from her before setting them down on the corner of the desk. 

With a small nod the secretary left, closing the door behind herself again.

Letting out an audible groan Gleb lifted the papers from the corner of the desk and began to look through them. As he sorted through the reports that need approval, something caught his attention. Flipping back to the paper Gleb read scanned over it until he found the word that had caught his attention. Defector. 

Gleb stood up so fast that his chair nearly fell backwards as he raced over to his filing cabinet and practically tore the drawer from its tracks. Gleb sorted through the files papers and pulled out every report on either defectors or attempted defectors. 

If he was going to get his family out of Russia's iron grip he need to know how others did or attempted to do so and learn from their successes and failures. Pulling the chair back under.him Gleb sat down and began to sort through the papers with a new resolve. He made two stacks, people who had succeeded, and those who were... lest fortunate. Gleb planned on learning from the mistakes of those who'd failed and gather ideas from those who'd made it out. 

Whilst flipping through the papers an urgent and rapid knock sound at the door. Looking up Gleb knitted his and just as he was about to call out for them to enter Cedrik burst through the with what could only be described as the most idiotic grin he'd ever seen.

"The sun is bright, the snow is melting, and those con-men are finally off the streets." Cedrik unceremoniously plopped into the chair facing Gleb's desk. 

"Con-men? You don't mean Popov and Sudayev?" Gleb asked. 

"That's exactly what I mean, caught them trying to hold auditions to pass off an Anastasia impostor in Paris." Gleb watched as Cedrik picked up the paperweight Katya had made him for Christmas. "Did Katyushka make this?"

Gleb smiled softly and answered, "Yes. Did you say that Popov and Sudayev were holding auditions?"

"Da. Unfortunately the young lady auditioning got away before she could be arrested, but I have men currently out searching the streets for her."

Gleb nodded and chewed his thumb in thought. 

"What's all this?" Cedrik leaned forward looking over the reports scattered on the desk. 

"Work." Gleb quickly swept the paper aside. 

"Alright then, keep your secrets." Cedrik sat back in his chair, "So... do you want me to bring them up for interrogation?" Cedrik ask placing the paperweight back on the desk. 

Something suddenly clicked in Gleb's mind and an idea began to formulate.

"Yes, bring them up. And bring up a second chair."

As Cedrik left the room Gleb began to think over what he was about to do. He was about to commit treason in the very heart of the Bolshevik offices. 

The sound of shuffling alerted Gleb to the fact the con-men were now outside the door and he straightened up, folding his hands on his desk. Gleb watch straight face as the grumbling con-men were shoved into the office space in cuffs.

"Please, sit." Gleb spoke with false politeness. 

The Sudayev boy fixed him with a sharp glare and Popov did little more than simply look defeated. With a wave of Gleb's hand the officers who escorted the two in left. Gleb watched them leave and waited a few moments before standing up and walking over to the door. He opened it slightly and looked around the hall before deciding it was empty and shutting the door again, locking it. 

Popov gave him a curious look as Gleb walked back around the desk and sat down. Pulling out the report on the con-men Gleb looked over it again, making a list of their transgressions before reading them aloud. 

"Treason, forgery of official documents, petty theft, scamming, assault," Gleb's eye brow rose slightly as he listed of the next one, "assault against an officer of the law, and multiple escapes from government custody, countless counter revolutionary acts, conspiracy against the government and Russia herself, and an endless list of other misdemeanors. I can see why you wanted out of Russia so bad." 

Neither of the con-men said anything so Gleb continued. 

"Well, I suppose you know the sentence for treason alone." There was a heavy and condemning weight in Gleb's voice as he looked up from the papers and at each man's face individually. "Nothing to say for yourselves?" Gleb leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands in front of him on the desk once more. 

"It would seem...that our fates are sealed." Popov spoke softly.

"It would seem." Gleb agreed. There was a long silence before he continued, "I must know though, what makes you think  _you_ could successfully pass off a counterfeit Anastasia?" There was another pregnant pause before anyone spoke.

"I saw her once..." Popov seemed to be the only one of the two willing to talk, "it was long ago. But I'd know her if I saw her again." Popov stared over Gleb's shoulder and out the window behind him while Sudayev was looking down and picking at his fingernails. 

Gleb nodded softly to himself and glanced down at the framed picture facing him, Anya and Katya looking back at him with smiles frozen in time. Even in black and white grey-tones there was light in their eyes and Gleb drew strength from that. 

"I can get you out." Both con-men looked up in shock.

"W-what?" Popov stuttered out.

"I can get you out." Gleb repeated, before adding, "On one condition." 

Popov looked over at Sudayev before back to Gleb. 

"I don't understand." Was all Popov could manage. 

"I can help you, if you help me." Gleb explained. 

"How?" Popov looked slightly interested.

"I need you to take my wife and child with you." The room was filled with a shock so palpable one could slice it with a knife as it wrapped itself around the people in the room, weighing them down. 

Sudayev was beginning to look increasingly more suspicious of Gleb by the second. 

"In what world does a Bolshevik officer ask two con-men to sneak his family out of Russia make any sense?" Sudayev finally spoke up.

"This one." Gleb glared at the boy from the corner of his eyes. 

"He does have a point," Popov pointed out drawing Gleb's attention back to him, "why would you want your family out of a country you've dedicated your life to?" 

"Bofore I reveal anything else to you, I need your answer. Will you help me." Gleb could feel himself becoming slightly frustrated as the adrenaline due to his anxieties over the situation began to kick up. 

Popov looked over the Sudayev who simply made a tight line with his mouth while glaring at the older man. Popov raised his brows and tilted his head before speaking to his counterpart,

"We've really got nothing to loose Dmitri." 

At this Sudayev seemed to relent, releasing a rather exasperated sigh. 

"I do think, or hope anyways, that we may be able to help each other." Popov said. 

Gleb nodded before speaking, "Everything is to stay within this room." 

"With the climate of this government, does anything stay anywhere?" Dmitri said flatly.

 "I can assure you, my office is safe." Gleb said despite the small doubt he felt in the back of his mind.

"Can you be certain, comrade?" Popov asked. 

"No." Gleb answered honestly meeting the older man's eyes. 

"Very well." Popov lowered his voice slightly more than Gleb's. "How can we be of service to you." It was a statement, not a question. 

"My wife and child are in danger." Gleb's heart sped up at this thought. 

"From what?" Sudayev asked, arching his brow in disbelief.

"Me and the very cause I stand for." At this admission Sudayev's eyebrow shot up even higher, if that was possible. "I fear your eyebrow is trying to escape your face, comrade." Gleb added bitterly. 

Sudayev's eyebrow immediately shot down to join the other into a harsh glare. 

"You said you've seen Anastasia before?" Gleb needed to know for certain, needed this one last confirmation before going to the dowager empress and ripping his family in half. If Popov nor Sudayev could recognize Anya, he would sleep well knowing she was safer. 

"Yes," Popov confirmed, "but what does that have to do with any-" Popov stopped mid sentence when Gleb turned the picture frame around to face the con-men. "My god- that's that's-" 

"I know." Gleb couldn't help the bitterness that seeped into the edges of his words. 

"Dima- it's-" Popov stopped again and Gleb watched as he brought his cuff hands up to dig in one of his pockets before pulling out what appeared to be an old photograph and holding it up and down, undoubtedly comparing the images in front of him. 

"Is it really?" Popov whispered at long last. 

Before answering Gleb cast a look over to Popov's companion who seemed to be having a debate with himself over whether or not what he was seeing was real. "Yes." 

"How?" Popov asked, shock and awe lacking his words. 

"When I met her, six years ago, she was just a street sweeper with no memories of her past. I only saw what I wanted to see," Gleb admitted, "a hard working, loyal, and compassionate young Russian woman, building a life for herself just like everyone else, but I loved her nonetheless. I still do." Gleb had turned the picture frame back around to face him once more.

"Did she tell you?" Popov inquired.

"She did not remember," Gleb looked up from the photo again before adding, "not until a few nights ago." 

Popov nodded, looking somewhat perplexed.

"I believe we could help," Vlad cast a glance over a Sudayev who was looking rather unhappy before continuing, "But there is only so much we can do in cuffs." 

"Indeed." Gleb leaned back in his seat before pushing a file on the side of the desk close to the con-men, a large paperclip facing them. 

Wordlessly Gleb looked over towards the window with the fire escape and back to the men in front of him. Seeming to catch the drift Vlad nodded. 

"Meat me at the old factory on the outskirts of Leningrad tonight." Gleb lowered his voice before standing and announcing loudly so that anyone listening in might here. "If you'll excuse me gentlemen, there's a sentencing I most organize." 

With that Gleb swept out of the room and down the hall. His heart beat thunderously in his ears, and Gleb almost feared it might betray him. 

"Gleb!" Turning around Gleb was met with the sight of Cedrik stepping out of one of the side offices towards him. "So, guilty I presume?" 

"Most guilty." Gleb agreed, trying not to flinch when Cedrik clasped him on the shoulder. 

"Of course. And tomorrow a most public execution." Cedrik nodded. 

Gleb swallowed roughly and nodded. Looking over at the clock Gleb hoped he'd stalled long enough for Popov and Sudayev to make their escape without looking suspicious.

"I'll help you escort them out." Gleb offered as he headed back down the hall listening carefully for any sounds from inside the office before opening the door. Upon hearing nothing Gleb let out an audible sigh, making it as cough against his shoulder. 

Pushing the door open and stepping in, Gleb looked around and found the chairs empty, handcuffs hanging over the backs. A cold breeze blew through the open window. 

"They escaped?" Cedrik rushed onto the room behind Gleb. 

Gleb looked around wildly running his hands through his hair. Swiftly making his way over to his desk Gleb sifted through the mess in front of him. Seeming to find what he was looking for Gleb held up a deformed paperclip to the light. 

"Idiot!" Gleb cursed himself as Cedrik came up beside him, taking the paperclip from his hand. 

"This?" Cedrik asked incredulously. "This is how they got away?" 

"I must've left it to close to the edge." Gleb ground out as he fell forward bracing himself on the desk. "Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" With a sweep of an arm Gleb knocked the files of paper off the surface of the desk, sending them scattering out of sorted folders mixing on the floor. "How could I? After all this time and finally catching them?" Gleb yelled, scaring a secretary who must've heard the noise and come to investigate the noise away from the door.

"Gleb." Cedrik placed a placating hand on Gleb's shoulder. "Honestly, they've escaped custody so many times before, this isn't really a surprise." 

"They were under my watch." Gleb walked around the desk, sitting down and dropping his head into his hands. "I suppose we can keep how they escaped between us?" Gleb asked hopefully looking up at his brother.

"We'll simply say they eluded sentencing once again, not how." Cedrik said, Gleb nodding in agreement. 

"I suppose I should call this in, shouldn't I?" Gleb sat back in his chair and pulled the telephone forward. 

"I'll do it." Cedrik offered, "I was head of the hunt for the con-men anyways, and besides you've got your platter filled with the Anastasia case, and whatever your little project is with the borders." Cedrik waved his hand over Gleb's desk, gesturing. 

Gleb felt like a sudden weight had been dropped on his chest. He'd managed to completely neglect the Anastasia case and now had nothing to report. 

"Yes," Gleb agreed, "Anastasia..." 

"Good luck, comrade." Cedrik smiled tightly before leaving the room. 

What was only thirty minutes felt like hours by the time five-fourty five came around, and Gleb stacked the files away and pulled on his coat. Muttering polite farewells to the secretaries as he left Gleb pulled his coat tighter around himself and set of into the already dark streets of Leningrad. 

Sometimes in the winter Gleb would find himself wishing for the not only warmer, but longer days of summer, when the sun wouldn't set until nearly seven-thirty sometimes. When the air was warmer, and he and Anya and Katya would pull light jackets on after supper and walk down to the bridge to watch the sun set over the Neva, only to walk home soon after, Gleb and Anya both knowing full well the danger of the streets at night. Gleb found himself dreaming wistfully for warmer, brighter, simple times, something that deep down he knew might not come to pass again, at least not if they weren't careful, and most definitely never to come again under the Russian sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave any questions, comments, concerns, and or interpretive dances in the comment section below.
> 
> Follow my Glenya blog on tumblr @ allthemonsters-yashka


	9. We'll Be Out

"Gleb?" Gleb froze in the middle of pulling his heavy wool coat on at the sound of Anya's slightly worried voice behind him. "What are you doing?" 

Turning around Gleb met his wife's gaze. Anya's eyes were widened and her eyebrows drawn while she chewed her lip, all in all looking slightly scared. Stepping towards her Gleb placed his hands on her arms and pulled Anya closer him, ducking down and capturing her lips with his own. Gently Anya's hand came to rest on Gleb's cheek and he pulled away from her. 

"Gleb, what's going on?" Anya asked quietly. 

"I won't be gone long," at seeing a flash of something in her eyes Gleb added, "you can wait up for me if you wish, there's just some business I need to attend to." 

"After nine?" Anya asked, stepping back, here eyes narrowing.

Gleb reached out and caught her arm. "Anya, I would never." At this Anya finally stopped resisting and allowed Gleb to pull her into his warm embrace. 

"I know," Anya whispered, wrapping her arms around Gleb's neck. 

"I love you." Gleb leaned down to whisper.

"I'm sorry, I know you wouldn't-" Anya began before burying her head in his chest. "I just saw you putting your boots and coat on and it was so late, I just- I assumed- I was so afraid of losing you, all because I'm a-." Anya didn't finish, instead burring her head back into Gleb's chest. 

"I won't be gone long," Gleb ran his fingers through her hair, "I need you to trust me." 

"I know, I do." Anya finally looked up at Gleb and he found himself drowning in endless depths of blue.

Gleb brought a hand up to her cheek and pressed a loving kiss to Anya's forehead. "I have to go." 

Opening the door Gleb turned back and smiled gently at Anya, who smiled back, her lips drawn in a thin line and ringing her hands. Closing the door behind him, Gleb stepped out into the dark winter's night. Snowflakes swirling wildly to the ground shown in the light of street lamps as Gleb went from shadow to shadow, no more than a phantom in the night. The darkness closed tighter around him as the street lamps grew further and further in between, soon dissipating all together, leaving him in the dim light of the cold night's moon. 

Slowly in the distance Gleb could see the crumbling shell of the old fish factory growing closer, it's charred and decrepit remains jutting out at odd angles. As Gleb drew closer he could hear the sound of muffled voices becoming clearer. 

"I'm telling you Vlad, he's setting us up." Gleb easily recognized the voice of the younger con-men. 

"Dima, really, we've discussed this." Came the gruffer voice of Sudayev's companion. 

"Let's go now, make a run for it, leave while we still can." Sudayev sounded on edge.

"Dmirti, give it a rest." Popov sounded exasperated.

"Gentlemen." Gleb stepped out of the shadows and into the moonlight. 

"There you are, we were beginning to worry you weren't going to show up." Popov said.

"Yes, well," Gleb looked around with uncertainty. "I was held up slightly. No wife likes the thought of her husband disappearing alone into the night at this hour I'm afraid." 

"You care very much for her." Popov stated. 

"Yes..." Gleb glanced over at Sudayev for a moment to see him glaring at him in the low light.

"Yes... well, I do think you'll find these satisfactory." Popov announced into the quickly growing uncomfortable silence and  produced  two passports. 

Taking them Gleb looked them over, inspecting them for any potentially mortal flaws. After a thoroughly examining the papers Gleb handed them back over to Popov. 

"I must admit, these are rather impressive fakes. If you were to show me these, I do think I'd let you go," Gleb glances over at Sudayev before adding, "if your companion didn't fidget so obviously." At this the Sudayev boy huffed, rolling his eyes, and stuffed his hands into his pockets. 

"Yes, well..." Popov glanced back as well, "you are rather imposing." 

"As will be the officer stopping you for your papers." Gleb drawled. 

"Indeed." Popov agreed. "Dmitri, where are the tickets?" 

At this Sudayev began to rifle through his rucksack for, presumably the tickets. 

"When does the train leave?" Gleb asked as they waited for Sudayev to find the tickets. 

"Our discussion earlier seemed to imply that you wished to get your family out as soon as possible," Popov took the two tickets Sudayev handed him and held them out to Gleb, "Tomorrow night, at eleven-forty-five. It was the best we could do to get us all out as soon as possible safely." 

"I do fear I am in your debt." Gleb looked down at the tickets before pushing them into one of his pockets. "How can I ever repay you?"

"Please, helping us to escape certain death is enough." Popov extended his hand towards Gleb, who eyed it for a moment before pulling the glove from his hand.

"Thank you." Gleb clasped Popov's hand in his own. 

A glance over at Sudayev and Gleb could see Sudayev leaned back against the wall with his arms crossed firmly across his chest. Still, Gleb extended his hand towards him, Sudayev eyeing it warily before looking back up at Gleb. Seeing that he had no intention of shaking his hand Gleb pulled his hand back replaced his glove. 

"I suppose we shall see each other once again, tomorrow night." Gleb stepped back. 

"Yes. On the platform at eleven-thirty." Popov confirmed. 

With a final nod and one last mumbled thanks Gleb turned and disappeared again into the night. Gleb fingered the two tickets in his pocket and felt his heart clenched in his chest. As much as he told himself it was for Anya and Katya's own safety it still hurt to think of them leaving. 

Gleb kept walking, his head ducked, only stopping when he felt something wet on his cheek. Reaching up Gleb wiped a gloved hand over his face before pulling it back and looking at it and staring at the glistening droplets of in the moonlight. He hadn't even realized he'd been crying, but now the blurriness in the lower portion vision was impossible to ignore. 

Leaning against a nearby wall Gleb rested his head against his arm and took a quivering breath. 

\---

Anya sat curled up in Gleb's chair in front of a smoldering fire, glancing over at the door every so often. Hissing Anya looked down to find her fingernail bleeding from where she'd been picking at it. Anya watched the blood well up for a moment before looking back to the dying fire. 

Trust. She trusted Gleb, she'd trusted him with so much, especially over that past couple of days, Anya felt guilt creep into her stomach at the thought of how she hadn't trusted him sooner with this. Unclenching her hand Anya looked down at the pair of diamonds sparkling in the low light. 

The sound of the door opening caught Anya's attention and she closed her hand firmly around the diamonds once more before quickly standing up and rushing over to the small foyer to meet Gleb. Almost hesitantly Anya stepped forward to stand in front of Gleb, who simply looked down at her with all the adoration in the world. 

"Anya..." He brought his hand up to Anya's cheek and brushed away a strand of strawberry blonde hair that had fallen forward. 

Closing her eyes, Anya allowed herself to lean into her husband's touch and gather strength from the tender gesture. Opening her eyes Anya looked back up and spoke, "I didn't tell you everything all those years ago, about my memories, there was one thing I left out... when I woke up in the hospital all those years ago after- after-" Anya stuttered and her eyes widened with fear. 

"Anya." Gleb gently pulled her from the undoubtedly painful memory. 

Swallowing Anya continued, "Well, when I woke up I had no clue of who I was, who I had been." Gleb already knew this part of her tale, but let her continue. "A nurse found them sewn into my undergarments and took them, hiding them until I was well enough to leave." This part, however, was not familiar to Gleb. Furrowing his brow Gleb waited for Anya to go on. "She told me to tell nor show no one, not at least until I found someone I could trust. And it's not that I didn't trust you," she was rambling now, "I did, I do! It's just... to tell you the truth I forgot they even existed, I was so caught up in my new life, I hardly had time to think to much on it, and that's not a bad thing, and I trust you Gleb, I do-" Anya cut herself off when Gleb's hands came to rest on either of her arms. 

"What are you talking about Anya?" Gleb asked, his brow drawn with confusion. 

Anya brought her clenched hand up in between them and slowly uncurled her fingers, revealing the two precious stones. Tentatively Gleb brought his hand up hold her palm steady as he gazed down at the diamonds. Without thinking Anya turned her hand over and the diamonds tumbled into Gleb's own. Staring down at them gems resting in his hand Gleb couldn't stop himself from thinking of what they meant, what they stood for. 

Holding them in his hand Gleb found himself thrust back into his own childhood, watching cold and hungry as richly dressed people covered in jewels from head to toe like the ones resting in his palms now, while his family had struggled for years. How they had dined on the best food, never hungry, when his own father would sometimes forfeit his daily meal, if it could even be considered that, just so his wife and son might have a little more to help them through the cold winter days, and more importantly nights. 

"Gleb?" Anya drew him back to the present and he looked up from the gems in his hands sharply. "I'm sorry, I-" Anya took a step back and Gleb realized he'd practically been seething with pent up anger. The diamonds he held represented everything he resented in this world- no, that was a lie. Not everything, no not Anya, never Anya, he could never resent her. 

"It's not you, Anya. I just-" Gleb rubbed his hand over his face as he held out the diamonds, practically begging her to take them away. 

"The past hurts." Anya said scooping the diamonds from Gleb's hand. 

"How-?" Gleb looked at her. 

"I know that look," Anya stared down at the diamonds now resting in her hands again, "in your eyes. I've seen it before, when I look in the mirror. Do you ever see them? Your family? I do, sometimes, in the corner of my vision. Sometimes I think I'm haunted." Anya admitted.

"I heard their, your screams that night." Gleb whispered, the memory now striking somewhere deeper inside him at the thought of one of those frightened voices belonging to Anya. "I still hear them, every now and then.." Unsure of what to do or say entirely Gleb stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Anya, who turned her head to rest her cheek against Gleb's chest. Vaguely she could feel Gleb's fingers undoing the braid in her hair and running his fingers through the strands. Shifting slightly Anya free her arms to wrap them around Gleb's middle and buried her face in his chest. 

"Keep them. Keep them safe, and keep them hidden." Gleb whispered into her hair loud enough that Anya might hear his words. "Save them until you absolutely can't. They'll help you along your way." 

"Along my way?" Anya looked up. "My way where?" 

"Paris." Gleb whispered. 

"Gleb? Paris? What aren't you telling me?" Anya pulled away slightly to look him in the eye. 

"You and Katya. You're going to Paris, it's the only way to keep you two safe." 

"Paris, Gleb? Do you know how much we'd have to get in order, and not draw unwanted attention to ourselves whilst doing so? And you know as much yourself, the borders are tightening, here soon no one's going to be leaving." Anya began to list off. 

"Anya, please. I thought you trusted me." Gleb smiled softly holding her in his arms. 

"I do, Gleb." Anya spoke softly. 

"Good." Gleb leaned down and kissed her gently. 

"I don't understand, Gleb." Anya whispered when he pulled away, her eyes shining with unshed tears. 

Pulling out the tickets from his pocket Gleb held them up. "Your train leaves tomorrow night, at eleven-forty-five" 

Taking the tickets Anya looked over them in disbelief before looking back up. "But Gleb, there's only two. Where's yours?" 

Gleb smiled softly and closed his hands around hers. 

"No, no Gleb. I'm not leaving you. You can't stay!" Anya's voice became frantic. 

"Yes, Anya, you have to. I must stay here and ensure you and Ekatrina are safe before I follow you." Gleb explained. 

"You can't make me go without you. I can't do this alone!" Anya shook her head frantically. 

"You can do this Anya, besides, you won't be alone." Gleb took her back into his arms. 

"What do you mean?" Anya asked, her voice cracking. 

"I've ensured you have traveling companions. They'll help you on your way." Gleb tried to calm her, leading Anya over to kitchen table and sitting her down in a chair. 

"Traveling companions? Who?" Anya grasped Gleb's hand in her own two as he knelt down on the floor in front of her. 

"I know I've asked this of you so many times already, and I have no right to ask it of you again, Anya, and I know you trust me, but I must beg it of you once more. I've struck up a bargain with a couple of con-men who were preparing to defect, they've agreed to take you and Katya with them out of Russia." Gleb did his best to explain. 

"Can you trust these men?" Anya asked quietly. 

Gleb opened his mouth as if to answer before closing it again. Taking a deep breath he formulated his words carefully, "I may not like them, they are criminals of the state after all, but I have faith in them, and considering the circumstances I must have a little trust to be spared as I am trusting them with my wife and child." 

Anya sucked her lips into her mouth before releasing them with a sigh and nodding. 

"I know you'd never do anything to put Ekatrina or myself in danger, intentionally." 

"If you think I'm sending you with no way of protecting yourself, you're mistaken. I want you to take my gun." Gleb rose pulling Anya up with him. 

"Your gun? But that was fathers! Are you sure?" Anya knew how much it meant to him. "What about you? Won't you need it here?"

"I have the one the government issued me when I joined the army," Gleb walked down the hall and into their bedroom with Anya on his heels. 

Anya watched from the doorway, wringing her hands, as Gleb pulled out the gun and looked it over before turning back to her. 

"Come here, Anya." Gleb spoke softly, gesturing for her to come closer. 

Anya crossed the room to join Gleb where he stood. Looking down at the gun in Gleb's hand Anya thought back to the first time she'd seen the weapon. It had been held by someone else then, someone with a stony face, aimed with hands that did not tremble at the task they where set to do. But the man's eyes told an entirely different story. He was sorry, he didn't want to do this, Anya had seen it when he met her fearful gaze as she was shoved back with the rest of her family that long ago night.

"He didn't shoot them, the children. It hurt my father in the end, to see innocent children die, he himself was a father after all, and all he ever wanted was a better Russia for everyone's children. I didn't understand when I was younger why it hurt him so bad to be told to kill them. When I was taken in by the government after my mother's death they taught me what he did was for the better of Russia. I didn't want to understand when I grew older, but now...  I think I do." Gleb whispered. 

Slowly Anya reached forward and took the gun from Gleb's hands. 

"I'm not afraid of it Gleb. If I must carry it, then I will do so with pride. I'm the one holding it now, I'm the one with power." Anya's voice did not waver as she spoke. 

"What will we tell Katya?" Gleb asked as Anya turned away to place the gun on her bedside table. 

"We won't. Not until tomorrow evening," Anya recalled her encounter with their neighbor, "little ones have a tendency to let things slip at the most inopportune times."

"I agree." Gleb stepped up behind Anya wrapping his arms around her.

Anya leaned back against him and placed her hands on his arms which were wrapped around her waist. 

"I don't want to leave you." Anya's quiet voice sounded in the silence of the room. 

"I don't want you to." Gleb responded, holding her tighter. 

"Gleb," Anya stepped forward and turned to face him, "how long will it be before we see each other again? Will we see each other again?"

"I don't know." Gleb looked at her, his voice almost mournful.

"Then," Anya wrapped her arms around Gleb's neck and held him close, at least let us have this." Anya leaned up and pulled Gleb down for a kiss.

"Yes." Gleb whispered when they pulled apart slightly for air, before pulling Anya back to him, "let us have this."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave any questions, comments, concerns, and or interpretive dances in the comment section below.  
> Find my Glenya centric blog on tumblr @ allthemonsters-yashka or Glenya by Yanna


	10. Letting Go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm soooo sorry I've been gone for so long, but here it is. Anya and Katya are finally meeting our beloved conmen.

Wrapping her arms around herself Anya released a deep sigh as she stared down into the empty suitcase lying open on the bed in front of her. Numbly Anya wrapped the music box in one of her blouses before setting it down inside the suitcase. This was repeated twice more with one other shirt and a skirt, both safely encasing Katya's baby picture and the photo taken of Gleb and Anya on the day they'd signed the court documents declaring them husband and wife. Next went in two pairs of stalkings and a blanket. 

Quietly Anya slipped from her own room and down the short hall and into Katya's room. Anya looked over at the bed as she knelt silently down before the small chest of drawers. Cringing slightly as the old drawer scraped it's way open Anya set aside a thick pair of tights, a heavy flannel dress, and a warm sweater before pillaging two more pairs of stalkings and three more dresses. Once everything was folded away Anya placed another blanket on top before placing Gleb's gun down on top and closing the suitcase. The clicking of the clasps almost had a sort of finality to them, and suddenly everything she'd been holding back all day came forward. Russia was home, everything good and bad alike had happened here, and just when it seemed she'd gotten dealt the rotten hand in life she'd met Gleb and everything had turned around, but, Anya supposed, life was this way, kind and generous one moment then cruel and cold the next, it could give you everything and rip it from your grasp in the same moment. Anya consoled herself on the thought that she still had her family, and that it would all be over before she knew it, a distant bygone and memory to look back on in the future. A small smile came to Anya's lips as she wondered what she might be doing when she looked back on this moment... perhaps gardening, or explaining the world away to her ever inquisitive daughter, maybe she'd be holding an infant in her arms, a brother or sister for Ekatrina, or curled up on the sofa late at night with Gleb reading a book, the possibilities were endless, though one thought stayed above all the others, no matter what she'd be doing when she looked back in this moment, Anya was certain that she would look back on it as one of the hardest and best decisions of her life. 

Lifting the suitcase from the bed Anya lugged it out into the kitchen setting it on the table before peering into a smaller knapsack like bag of food Gleb had gathered up. Sorting through Anya counted two loafs of bread, a handful of potatoes, and a few cans of soup. Retying the sack Anya stood upright and looked around the room just as Gleb entered from the living room holding an envelope.

"Gleb, what-?" Anya asked as she walked over to him. 

"Takes this, just in case." Looking into the envelope at Gleb handed it to her Anya saw to her surprise rubles stashed inside. 

"No, Gleb, I can't. You've spent so long saving all this up." Anya attempted to push the envelope back at him. 

"Please, Anya, it's for emergencies, and I do believe this counts." Gleb help the envelope between them. 

"But what if the price of train tickets goes up again? I don't want to have to wait longer than I have to for us all to be a family again, Gleb." Anya argued. 

Shaking his head Gleb came up with a compromise. "Take half, and I'll keep half here, just in case."

 Swallowing Anya nodded her agreement. "I'll split it in half though, or else you'll try to take only a quarter." There was no argument as Anya took the envelope back and walked back over to the table to sit down and sort the money. "Can you wake Katya, I've set aside some warm clothes at the foot of her bed." Anya asked over her shoulder. 

With a silent nod Gleb retreated away down the hall. Katya's room was dark and the only sounds where that of her gentle breathing. Gently Gleb brushed her hair away from her face before calling out to her. When Katya didn't respond Gleb lightly shook her. Slowly Katya's eyes fluttered open. 

"Papa?" She asked, her small voice laced with confusion. 

"I know, it's strange, but you need to get dressed." Gleb helped her sit up as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. 

"Why?" Katya asked as Gleb moved to the foot of the bed to gather the clothes. 

"You and Mama have to leave tonight." Gleb answered without looking up. "Come on, let's get you dressed." 

Anya stared down at the single odd ruble in her hands trying to decide what to do with it, and as she heard Gleb coming back down the hall Anya quickly sorted it away into the pile that was to be Gleb's. All together the rubles didn't amount to much, and split in half amounted to even less, but it was still something. Anya watched as Gleb deposited a sleepy Katya into one of the kitchen chairs before reaching in over and taking the pile in front of her, as if he knew that she'd made sure the one she'd sorted out for him had slightly more. 

"I know you just as well as you know me." Gleb whispered, kissing the crown of Anya's head as she sighed, closing her eyes. 

Anya watched Katya struggled to keep her eyes open as she shuffled the money into a single stack and placing it back into the envelope and hiding it in her undergarments for safekeeping.     

"Mama?" Katya called out blinking up at her. Anya hummed her reply. "Where are we going?" 

"I'll tell you later, promise." Anya hated keeping things from Katya but it would be safer for Katya not to let anything slip as to their destination until they were out of Russia. 

"Mmmkay." Anya stifled a laugh as Katya's head lulled to the side. 

"Are you ready?" Anya looked up as Gleb stood in the doorway holding their coats. Anya's chest tightened at the sight. Looking about the room once more she couldn't help the tears that sprung into her eyes at all the memories their little flat held inside it's walls. The doorway were Gleb had notched Katya's height into the wall once a year since she could walk, each mark a sign of each year passed, or the hallway where once upon a time Anya and Gleb had sat on either end on the small corridor beckoning Katya to them and cheering on as she took her clumsy first steps. Anya felt her cheeks warm as she looked down the hall towards their room remembering the first time they- well never you mind.

"So many memories to leave behind..." Anya mumbled. 

"And so many new memories to make." Gleb held out her coat. "We have to leave, you can't miss the train." Anya smiled sadly and stood taking her coat. Once it was on Anya felt around for the seam she'd split, placing the diamonds in between the fabric of the lining and the wool before sewing it back shut again. As he fingers felt out the hard edges of the precious stones Anya felt herself relax a little. 

"Carry Ekatrina, I'll get the cases." Anya left no room for argument as she lifted her suitcase and knapsack containing their food from the table.

Katya moaned as Gleb slipped her coat on and buttoned it up under her chin before lifting her into his arms and wrapping her in his own coat. Looking to Anya she nodded resolutely, and Gleb returned the gesture before stepping out and into the small foyer, opening the door and exposing them to the dark and freezing air outside. Anya followed, stopping for a breath at the threshold. 

"Heart don't fail me now, courage don't desert me." Anya whispered into the air, her words floating away with the fog of her breath. Stepping over the threshold for the last time Anya didn't look back as Gleb locked the door before leading them away. Anya refused to allow herself to look back as she passed important landmarks in her life, knowing it would be all the harder to leave if she stopped and reminisced over it all. She needed to leave the past behind, it was beyond time. The bridge, the Nevsky Prospect, the grocer's, the Neva, all of it. 

Katya began to stir once more as they entered the train station, disturbed awake by the bustling of the people there. As he looked around Gleb had to remind himself that many of the people he saw were not the only ones breaking the law, that they were too. Silently Gleb ushered Anya towards the Platform, his eyes sweeping the surrounding crowds, Katya's tight grip on his shirt reminding him why they were there. Whilst sifting through the faces of the people around him Gleb met the gaze of a decidedly older man who was staring rather wide-eyed at them, or more specifically, Anya. Before Gleb could do anything however, the man disappeared into the flow of people around them.

"Who was that man, Papa?" Katya mumbled, allowing Gleb to gather that she'd seen him too. 

"I don't know, solnyshko. Don't worry about it though." Gleb spoke into her hair.

Still looking about Gleb hugged Katya closer to himself. Finally Gleb seemed to have spotted what he was looking for. Reaching forward with his free hand Gleb gently took hold of Anya's arm and began to lead them away from the train and towards the back wall of the platform. 

"Gleb?" Anya asked as they made their way through the crowds. 

"This way..." Gleb mumbled out. 

As they approached Anya could make out a couple of men who seemed oddly out of place just standing there, as if waiting. One of the two appeared to be around her own age, though still had a slight boyishness about his appearance. The other was an older gentleman, who was trying to seem inconspicuous by reading... a German newspaper? Anya furrowed her brow at the strange sight. Noticing them the younger man turned to the older man and caught his attention before gesturing over to them with a nod. Standing up the older man tucked away the news paper and began to approach them. 

"Popov... Sudayev." Gleb greeted, his voice only loud enough to be heard between them. 

"Comrade...this must be Mrs. Vaganova, and this-" The older man took Anya's hand and duck his head respectfully before releasing it and gesturing to a weary looking Katya when Gleb cut him off.

"Would be my daughter, Ekatrina." 

A small slurred "prive't" from Katya made all the adults smile softly and yet managed to weigh down their hearts as a grim reminder to their reason for meeting like this under these circumstances. 

"Vlad Popov, and this is Dmitri Sudayev." The older of the two, whom Anya now knew to be Popov, introduced himself and his companion. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Popov and-" Anya started before Popov waved his hand shook his head. 

"Please, Vlad and Dmitri." He insisted. 

"Vlad and Dmitri." Anya repeated with a small nod.

"Train for Budapest on Track 4, Paris via Budapest on Track 4." 

All four adults looked up at the sound of the announcer's voice echoing from the speakers. 

"I do suppose that's us." Vlad spoke almost reluctantly. 

"Here, let us take your luggage..." The youngest of the two, Dmitri spoke up, nudging Vlad. 

"Oh, thank you." Anya said in surprise as the suit case and bag she'd been holding moments ago was taken out her hand. 

"We'll let you say your goodbyes." Vlad said politely before following Dmitri towards the train. 

As the two walked away Anya turn back towards Gleb and quickly wrapped her arms around him. Using the arm not holding Katya Gleb returned the embrace, burying his face into Anya's hair. 

"I don't want to go." Anya whispered, not caring if she sounded like a defiant child. 

"I know." Gleb ran his fingers through her hair. 

"Come with us." Anya begged, pulling away and looking up at him.

"You know why I can't." Gleb felt his heart break as he looked into Anya's pleading eyes. 

"It was worth a try." Anya smiled and look down at their feet, and took in a shaky breath. 

"Anya." She looked up again as Gleb spoke her name. 

Silently Gleb placed a hand on her cheek and tilted her head up. Lifting up on the tips of her toes, Anya's hands came to rest on either side of Gleb's face as they met in the middle in a warm kiss. Anya squeezed her eyes shut and desperately ignored the tear that fell across her cheek as she focused on conveying her every feeling for the man in front of her into the kiss, and knew Gleb was doing the same.

"Last call for Paris via Budapest, Track 4, last call!" 

Reluctantly Anya and Gleb parted as the announcer's words tore through the momentary bliss that had surrounded them. 

"That's you." Gleb trailed his hand from Anya's cheek before pulling it back and placing it on Katya's back, waking the sleeping child. 

"You have to go now, solnyshko . I love you." Gleb whispered, pressing a kiss to Katya's head. Suddenly the thought that this could be the last time he held his daughter in his arms and kissed his wife crossed Gleb's mind and with the stark realization of what was happening. It was no longer some distant plan, but now an action. He was sending his family away. 

"Please hurry join us soon." Anya spoke as she began to take Katya. 

"I already miss you." Gleb transferred the once again sleeping child into Anya's arms. 

"I love you." Anya spoke almost frantically as she stepped back towards the train.

"I love you too." Gleb watched, his heart crumbling in his chest, as Anya looked back once more before hurrying towards the train.

Once she was standing on board Anya turned and Gleb's throat tightened at the sight of tears running down her cheeks. How he wanted to run to her, everything else be damned, and comfort her, wipe away her tears, and reassure her, But all he could do now was watch as the train's whistle blasted through the night air and it slowly began to crawl forward. Without meaning to, Gleb's feet had began to take him in the direction the train was going, following it to the end of the platform. 

Anya watched, holding on to the railing as she stood just outside the car, watching Gleb fade into the distance on the edge of the platform along with her homeland. Reluctantly Anya turned and opened the door, stepping back into the train car and shutting it behind her. Anya picked her way past the compartments until she rather unceremoniously collided with someone else. 

"Oh my goodness, I am so sorry," Anya began to apologize as she stepped back, her arms shifting to get a better grip on Katya where her hands had slipped in the collision. 

"My god..." The man stuttered out as her stared at her with wide, disbelieving eyes. "It's you..." 

"Pardon?" Anya furrowed her brow.

"Forgive me, your highness." Anya starred wide eyes as the man before her ducked into a deep bow, grasping at her hand and pressing it to his lips.

"Anya!" Anya tore her gaze away from the sight in front of her to see Vlad leaning out of one of the compartments waving to her. 

"Uh..." Anya looked down at the man who was now looking up at her with tear filled eyes before back up to Vlad, "Coming." Carefully Anya stepped around him and speedily walked towards the compartment Vlad had been leaning out of. 

"Ah, Anya, we were beginning to wonder when you'd be joining us." Vlad smiled in a welcoming way when Anya pushed past the door and deposited Katya down on one of the seats, draping her coat over the once again sound asleep child and sitting down next to her. 

"I'm sorry." Anya looked up to see it had been the younger of the two, Dmitri, to speak. 

"What for?" Anya asked, tilting her head. 

"That it had to be this way." Dmitri opted to look out the window, "I'm sure you'd much rather have your husband that two complete strangers." 

"We'll just have to make the best out of our situation, and if not for ourselves, then for Katya." Anya looked down and stroked the child's hair back from her face. "I'm more worried about her, if I'm completely honest. I've uprooted her in the middle of the night, she'll be so confused when she wakes up, and then when she realizes Gleb's not here... she adores her father." 

"I understand, my father and I were close, sometimes- never mind." Dmitri shook his head and stopped mid sentence. 

"Sometimes what?" Anya asked, genuinely curious. 

"No, it's nothing, I don't know why I'm telling you." Dmitri waved his hand dismissively. 

"No, I want to know, besides, if we're going to be stuck together we should at least get to know one another." Anya pointed out. 

"My god, you are such a mother." Dmitri snorted and Anya chuckled. "Well it's just, sometimes, when I was little, he would lift me up onto his shoulders and parade me around, saying, 'I bet you could see all the way to Finland from up there Dima!'" 

"Dima?" Anya asked. 

"Shut up." Came Dmitri's passive reply.

When Dmitri looked back up Anya was staring at him rather peculiarly. "What?" 

"Oh, nothing, I just- have we met before?" Anya asked, unable to shake the feeling of recognition.

"No, I don't think." Dmitri shrugged uncomfortably. 

"I'm sorry, I just." Anya shook her head, "I guess I should get some sleep. With a small smile Anya settled back into her seat and allowed herself to succumb to exhaustion of the day. 

Anya startled awake at the sound of the door to the compartment slamming open and sat up ready and alert. Vlad had come racing into the compartment. 

"What is it? What's the matter?" Anya asked hurriedly. 

"Papers! The Papers!" Vlad muttered, sounding half mad. 

"What's the matter with our papers?" Dmitri looked up from the book in his hands. 

"They're green! Green!" Vlad began to hastily pull their bags down from the storage above them and it was now Anya noticed the train was no longer moving. 

"Green?" Dmitri asked. 

"Yes green! They're supposed to be red! Red! Why does everything in this blasted country have to be red!" Vlad stuffed one of the cases at Dmitri and Katya shifted and sat up from besides Anya, her eyes narrowed in confusion.

"They changed the colour! But Vaganov said-" 

"It doesn't matter what Vaganov said, their taking people with red papers off the train and-" A gunshot cracked through the night, finishing Vlad's sentence for him.

"It's a test." Anya spoke into the pandemonium of the compartment. 

"What?" Popov turned to her.

"It's a test, Gleb, he told me about it once. They, the higher ups, they change one thing about the papers and wait a day or two to tell the lower chains of command." Anya explained, her heart dropping at the realization. 

"To weed out the corrupt...we have to go." Vlad stated. 

"Where?" Dmitri stood, taking both his own and Anya's cases in hand. 

"The luggage car, there's a side door, if we make it before the train begins moving, we might be able to leave without anyone knowing or noticing." Vlad answered quickly before turning on his heels.

Standing Anya scooped Katya into her arms. 

"Mama, what going on?" Katya whispered in Anya's ear. 

"Nothing, just... a change of plans." Anya tried to reassure Katya. 

"Mama, I'm scared." Katya sat up in Anya's arms and looked into her mother's eyes with her father's own. 

"It's okay, Katya, you just need to trust Mama." Anya explained to those fearful brown eyes. 

"Okay." Katya whispered and returned her head to Anya's shoulder. 

"Let's go." Dmitri called out as he followed Vlad out of the compartment, Anya trailing behind.

Quickly the four of them made their way down the isle of the train car and towards the luggage car.

"Quickly!" Vlad ushered them all into the luggage car before securing the door behind him. "Dmitri, help me with this door." 

Setting down the bags Dmitri quickly rushed over the assist Vlad in prying open the side door. 

"Guys..." Anya spoke out, clutching tighter to Katya as the sound of voices neared the door to the luggage car. 

"Come on, come on!" Dmitri grunted as the voices became clearer. 

"Push!" Vlad demanded and the door finally slid open. "Anya! Common!" 

Without further prompting Anya rushed over to the now open sliding door and handed Katya down to Vlad while Dmitri rushed back for their bags. Jumping down Dmitri turned back to Anya calling out to her, and holding his hands out to assist her. "Anya!"Gratefully accepting Dmitri's outstretched hands and climbing down. Just as Anya's feet touched the ground shouting rang out from the train car. 

"Run!" Vlad shouted, still holding Ekatrina, and took off into the surrounding forest. Pulling Anya with him Dmitri took off after Vlad, the wind and snow blowing past them and freezing their ears. They finally came to a rest after what felt like an eternity of running, gasping and wheezing in the cold Russian air. 

"Mama!" Katya called out, now fully awake and reaching out to Anya. Wordlessly Vlad handed Katya over to her mother. "Why are we running?" Katya clutched her arms around Anya's neck. Still huffing Anya tried to formulate a reply that wouldn't scare Katya more.

"It's part of the game, we're playing tag, yeah? Well those officers on the train were 'it'." Dmitri answered before Anya could, pointing back in the direction of the train. Katya turned looking more curious now towards Dmitri.

"Whose 'it' now?" Katya looked around wildly, a small smile playing on her face.  

"They're still on the train, but we have to hurry, or else they'll catch us and one of us will be 'it.'" Dmitri was now smiling like a kid himself. 

"Well, we better hurry before we're it." Vlad spoke up.

"How close are we to the border?" Anya asked. 

"How long do you suppose we were on the train?" Vlad turned to Dmitri. 

Looking towards the rising sun, Anya figured since they boarded around eleven-forty-five, and it was now dawn, therefor nearing seven o'clock, and said as much. 

"So if we traveled for seven hours," Vlad produced a folded up map from his pocket.

"The train said it took one day and sixteen hours..." Katya mumbled against her mother's shoulder. "I saw it on the papers Papa was holding." 

The adults turned to the child in Anya's arms. 

"So we can infer we are quiet far from the border then..." Dmitri nearly groaned.

"If we find a train station, not a passenger train, but perhaps a cargo train, perhaps we could stowaway in one of the box cars. I've done it before." Anya supplied. 

"When did the Deputy Commissioner's wife stowaway illegally on a box car?" Dmitri asked incredulously. 

"I wasn't always his wife." Anya spoke pointedly, "I came all the way from Yekaterinburg to Peters-Leningrad before I met Gleb." 

"You don't have to correct yourself, it'll always be Petersburg, new name same empty stomachs." Dmitri grumbled. 

"Sorry, force of habit." Anya turned her attention to the now sleeping child on her shoulder. 

"The border is south, we should get going," Vlad suggested and the four headed off into the early morning light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave any questions, comments, concerns, and or interpretive dances in the comment section below.


	11. Back on Track(s)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stole some lines from Rogue One, so yeah.

It took nearly six days of walking in a northeastern direction before they finally heard the clatter trains in the distance, and it wasn't until late at night when the group came across the train yard. Kneeling down down in the shrubbery Anya, Dmitry, Vlad, and Katya (who's arms where currently wrapped around Dmitry's neck, clinging on from where she slept on his back with his arms looped behind her knees) watched as the trains came and went, all the while armed guards patrolled around, diligently searching through the train cars and ducking down to look beneath before allowing the trains to continue.

"How are we suppose to board?" Dmitry asked in a hushed whisper. 

Biting her lip Anya looked around before seeming to spot something. "There," Anya pointed. 

"Potato sacks?" Dmitry turned to Anya. 

"Hush, let her continue, she might be onto something." Vlad nudged Dmitry into silence. 

"We could hide in them." Anya explained. 

"That's a dandy plan and all, but what about Vlad and I?" Dmitry hissed. 

"Oh please," Anya shot back, "your so scrawny that if you turned sideways and stuck out your tongue, you'd look like a zipper!"

Vlad chuckled before butting in, "While is an apt comparison, Dmitry does have a point." 

Sighing Anya looked around trying to come up with something better. "We'd be too out in the open if we tried to climb aboard one while it moved..." Anya spoke under her breath. After a short moment of silence Anya spoke again, "I have an idea." 

Thus was how Dmitry found himself standing in a stolen great coat and ushanka hat with a red star pinned to the front. "Really? This is your plan?" Dmitry folded his arms. 

"Have you got a better idea?" Vlad asked as he admired their handy work. 

"Oh common! Not you too!" Dmitry threw his arms up exasperatedly. "You don't actually think we can pull this off, do you?"

"Oh please, this is hardly riskier than any of our other cons. Now look more intimating." Vlad rubbed his beard. 

"But intimidating an officer? We both know I'm hardly red army material. Look at me! I'm scrawny, and long, and I can barely hoist a sack of potatoes! I'm a wimp!" 

"Now he admits to it." Vlad elbowed Anya. 

"You'll do fine, just look like you have a purpose in life." Anya encouraged, shifting her arms around a still, miraculously, asleep Katya.

"Yeah, a purpose in life. A purpose to see you two humiliated too, one day." Dmitry muttered under his breath before speaking up as much as secrecy would allow, "Let's get this over with." 

Anya took a deep breath and nodded. "Keep to the story, remember, if anyone asks," she pointed to Vlad, "you're my ailing father, Yuri, I'm your widowed daughter, Olena, and Katya is Diana. And you," Anya turned to Dmitry, "found us stowed away in one of the box cars. And your name is..." Anya waited for Dmitry to answer. 

"Ilya Matryonovich." Dmitry puffed out his chest proudly. 

"Oy jamoy." Anya mumbled, placing her hand on her forehead, wondering what she'd created. "Alright let's go." 

Grabbing either of Vlad and Anya's arms Dmitry marched them out into the open, steering them towards an open box car that had already undergone inspection, and now sat waiting as the others were checked. Out of the corner of her eyes, Anya almost laughed at how dutifully Vlad played up his part, even going as far as to add a limp. Playing up her character as well Anya clutched a (still) asleep Katya. The child could sleep through the end of the world. Anya thought distantly, wondering where she had gotten this trait, as both herself and Gleb were light sleepers and would often awaken if the other moved too much in their sleep. 

"You there! Stop!" Anya's heart nearly stopped in her chest at the sound of someone calling out. Quickly Anya let her emotions form a mask of terror and fear on her face. "You there," the voice repeated and Dmitry stopped them before turning them around to face the approaching officer. From where Anya was standing she could tell this man was higher up in the chain of command, not as high as Gleb, but still a captain did hold some power. "Where are you taking those prisoners?"  

"Prisoners?" Anya almost smacked herself at Dmitry's stuttered answered. 

"Yes. Where are you taking them?" The captain demanded. 

"I'm taking the prisoners to imprison them...in prison." Anya nearly groaned, and she thought the way Dmitry had reacted to the previous question was bad. Vlad snorted, quickly disguising it as a cough, which resulted in a rather unexpected "wap!" as the heel of Dmitry's palm collided with the back of Vlad's head. "Quiet, old man!" 

Anya whimpered out a small "Papa!" to make her act more believable. 

"Very well," the man seemed to decide, "lock these...defectors..." he said the word with obvious disgust, eyeing Anya and Vlad, "And report back to my office. Immediately." With that he stepped aside. Dmitry nodded and turned them around and began back towards their previous destination when the man called out once more. "Comrade." He sounded annoyed, "the holding cell is that way, officer...?" He pointed in the opposite direction. 

"Ilya...Matryonovich." 

"And what jurisdiction were you assigned from?" The captain just seemed annoyed now.

"Uhhh... Pete- Leningrad?" Dmitry tried. Sighing the captain pointed back in the direction of the holding cells. 

"Yes...this way." Dmitry urged them forward past the officer. As they walked away they could hear him mumbling about incompetent soldiers. 

"Dmitry what are we going to do?" Anya asked at the same time as Vlad. "Old man?" He asked incredulously.

"Sorry," Dmitry whispered, "It was spur of the moment." 

"Dmitry, what are we going to do!" Anya asked harsher this time. 

"Uhhh...." Dmitry looked around wildly, "here, get in." He shoved them towards an open box car full of potato sacks. 

"But this one hasn't been inspected yet!" Vlad pointed out. 

"Just trust me!" Dmitry ground out. 

Looking at Anya Vlad decided. "Very well, Anya?" Swallowing Anya looked to Dmitry before nodding. Carefully Vlad climbed up before turning to help Anya and Katya up. "Here." Handing Katya up Anya followed. "She's still asleep?" Vlad look at the child before over to Anya raising his eyebrows. 

Before Anya could reply Dmitry spoke up, telling them to get underneath the bags of flour to hide. 

"Quickly!" Vlad handed Katya back over to her mother before ushering Anya back behind some of the flour bags. After ducking down Vlad helped Anya cover Katya and herself. The sound of voices approaching causing Anya's heart to beat faster and by now Katya was fully away and utterly confused at being clutch to her mother's chest while under a pile of flour bags instead of on Dmitry's back where she'd fallen asleep. 

"Mama?" Anya became aware of Katya no longer being asleep. 

"Shhh." Anya quickly hushed her, praying that for once her child would ignore her inquisitive nature and simply listen for once without needing an explanation. It wouldn't seem so. 

"Where are we?" Katya asked. 

"Not now, Katya, we have to be very quiet." Anya whispered into Katya's hair. 

"Like hide n' seek?" Katya looked up. 

"Yes." Anya replied, "Now shh." Katya seemed satisfied with this answer and quieted up. Laying there Anya prayed Dmitry would be smoother than before. 

"Comrades." They could hear Dmitry's voice greeting the approaching soldiers from outside the their hiding places. 

"Has this car been inspected?" Came another voice, Anya assuming it to belong to another guard. 

"Yes sir, Comrade. Nothing but flour in here." Dmitry answered, sounding at least a little more believable than his previous encounter. There was a stiff silence after Dmitry spoke and Anya could tell the guard was deciding whether or not to believe him. 

"You won't mind if I have a look around myself then." Before Dmitry could answer the other man began to climb aboard the train car. For a second Anya thought he could hear her heart pounding and quickly held her breath, clasping her hand over Katya's mouth to stifle the sounds of her breath. There was the sound of the soldier walking around and looking over the stacks of flour bags. Through a crack between the sacks Anya watched as he turned and stepped towards their hiding spot. Anya's eyes widened and somehow deep down, she knew they'd been caught. Instinctively Anya clutched Ekatrina to her chest. When the man was three steps away a sound came somewhere from behind him. Turning on his heel he look back at the stack of flour sacks Vlad hid behind. 

"No." Anya whispered realizing the sound had come from Vlad. Before anyone could react the officer stabbed the bayonet on the end of his rifle into the flour bags. He seemed content when nothing happened he pulled back his bayonet and began to step off the the train. 

"Very well, comrade." The officer spoke to Dmitry as he stepped off the train before calling out to someone else. "Secure!" With that the train began to move, lurching forward on the tracks. As the train began to pick up speed, Anya realized Dmitry still wasn't aboard. Sitting up Anya placed Katya aside. 

"Anya!" Gasping Anya rushed forward to help Dmitry, who was running alongside the train, and reaching her hand out to him. 

"Take my hand, Dmitry!" Anya leaned forward bracing herself on the wall. Jumping up Dmitry caught her hand struggled to climb aboard, the wind from the train's speed nearly knocking him off again. "Hold on!" With one final hail marry Anya braced her foot on the wall and threw herself back, pulling Dmitry with her. "Are you alright?" Anya asked as she sat up. 

"Dima!" Katya practically shrieked jumping up and wrapping her arms around him from behind. 

"Hey there, it's alright. We're all good. They're still it." Dmitry reassured her. "Where's Vlad?" Dmitry turned to Anya. 

"Vlad?" Anya turned and called out, looking towards the stack of flour he was hiding behind. Standing up Anya and Dmitry began to dig through the flour looking for Vlad. "Vlad are you alright?" Anya helped him to sit up when they finally uncovered him. 

"Of course!" He gave a hearty chuckle. 

"Vlad, your bleeding!" Anya gasped at the sight of a deep cut on his shoulder from where the guard had stabbed his bayonet into the flour sacks.

"It's nothing." Vlad tried to brush it aside but Anya was having none of it. 

"Vlad, it looks like it needs stitches." Anya inspected it. "Do any of you have a knife?" 

"Here," Dmitry handed a small blade to Anya. Thanking him Anya turned to the ruined flour bag and cut of a strip of the cloth sack and winding it around Vlad's injury. 

"That will have to do for now..." Anya hated leaving the cut untreated and un-stitched, but Anya supposed it was just the  mother  in her.

"I appears we're home free now." Dmitry looked out the still open train car before moving to close it. 

"Thank you, Dmitry." Anya smiled. 

"Pft." Dmitry waved his hand at her. 

"You know, you were right." Vlad spoke up. 

"I was?" Dmitry seemed in shock that Vlad would admit he was right. 

"Yes. You would make a terrible Cheka officer." At this Anya laughed and Dmitry huffed, throwing the hat out of the train car, Anya stopping him before the coat followed. 

"Wait, Dmitry," Anya chuckled, "That's a perfectly good, warm coat. You might regret doing that later." Seeing Katya yawning Dmitry draped the coat over her before closing the train car door all the way. 

Gleb sat at his desk looking over the paper work in front of him, the clock on the wall chiming that he'd stayed nearly three hours late. He hated going home to the too empty flat, opting to spend the better part of his time in the office. There'd been a scare shortly after Anya and Katya left. As murphy's law would have it, his higher up comrades had pulled their favorite stunt of altering the passports. Gleb's heart had pounded in his chest as he read over the reports of those captured on the train that night, and thought he might actually pass out from release of tightness in his chest when he read that it was found four people, two men, a woman, and a child, had escaped into the woods and evaded capture. Now he only had to pray the would make it out of Russia. 

The abrupt ringing of the telephone startled Gleb, causing his hand to slip in the middle of writing, leaving a long line of ink across the page. Groaning Gleb picked up the receiver. 

"Yes?" It was late, who the hell was calling at this time, practically know one was in the office. 

"Finally, I've been trying to get a hold of someone!" There came an exasperated voice from the other end. "Comrade Deputy Commissioner Vaganov, do you think this is funny?" 

"Excuse me? Who is this?" Gleb demanded. 

"Captain Lucevitch." The voice, Lucevitch, replied, still sounding annoyed. 

"What seems to be the problem, comrade?" Gleb asked, now curious. 

"The most incompetent man was assigned to me!" 

"What's is this officer's name?"

"Ilya Matryonovich, and he claims to have come from your jurisdiction." Now Gleb knew this was a lie. That name had never come across his desk before, and not only that, there was something about that name...Ilya? Matryonovich? Suddenly it hit him like a ton of bricks and Gleb couldn't help but close his eyes and smile. Ilya, the name they'd picked out together had Katya been a boy, and Matryonovich, the surname Anya had used several times before when applying for jobs before they'd married.

"Yes, what about officer... er Matryonovich?" Gleb asked. 

"He's completely incompetent!" Lucevitch yelled into the receiver.

"What happened?" Gleb asked, now too curious for his own good and picking for any information. 

"I caught him escorting three prisoners in the wrong direction. On top of that, he hardly seemed to know anything about himself! All jumpy and the like!" Gleb was almost aghast at how incompetent the captain was. If he'd been there... 

"These...prisoners, what did they look like?" Gleb asked. 

"There was an older man, and a woman. She had a child with her too." Nodding at the affirmation Gleb spoke up again. 

"And where are they now?" Gleb questioned. 

"I- don't know." Gleb felt anger rising in him. Who put this man in charge? 

"Well, in my opinion, it would seem officer Matryonovich is not the only incompetent one." Gleb ground out. "The higher ups will be hearing about this." Before Captain Lucevitch could respond Gleb slammed the receiver down on the phone.  

"Ilya Matryonovich...." Gleb chuckled to himself, shaking his head. 

A sharp knock echoed from the door, and Gleb quickly sobered up and called out to the other side. 

"You know, Glebka, I've been meaning to come talk to you." Cedrik sauntered in, his demeanor setting off alarm bells in Gleb's head. 

"Please stop calling me that." Gleb groaned and Cedrik took the seat opposite of him.

"You know, I saw the strangest thing the other day on the train." Cedrik ignored Gleb's comment. Gleb's heart picked up speed as Cedrik continued, "There was this group of defectors who in their attempt to escape decided to jump off the train and make a run for it, and the more I think about it and remember it, the more I am certain I recognized a certain mother and child." Now Gleb's heart stopped cold and his hand froze where he'd been pretending to fix something on one of the papers in front of him. 

"What are you insinuating, Anya and Ekatrina are at ho-" 

"Don't lie to me Gleb, I've just been by your flat to reassure myself of that very thing and that all I saw was a figment of my imagination. Your flat lies cold and empty, Gleb, is there something going on?" Cedrik's demeanor lightened and became more concerned. 

"Who have you told." Gleb whispered. 

"No one." Cedrik lowered his voice as well.

"Thank you." was all Gleb could find to say. 

"Gleb. What's happened?" Cedrik pressed. "Blood or not, your still my brother." 

Unable to argue Gleb reluctantly answered, "Anya and Katya...are in danger. 

"From what?" Cedrik leaned forward, sensing the need for secrecy. 

"Russia." Gleb replied gravely. 

"What do you mean?" Cedrik asked incredulously. 

Slowly Gleb slid a report on the Anastasia rumors across the desk towards him. Furrowing his brow Cedrik looked down at the paper. 

"What does this have to do with Anya and Katya?" Cedrik asked, the confusion clear in his voice. Gleb shot Cedrik a pointed look. Suddenly a look of realization crossed Cedrik's face. Looking back down at the report in his hands and back up to Gleb Cedrik spoke again, "You don't mean-?" 

"Yes." Gleb whispered. 

"Did you know when-?" Cedrik asked again, trailing off. 

"She didn't even know when we married." Gleb admitted. 

Leaning back Cedrik drug his hands over his face and groaned. 

"I know." Gleb agreed with the sentiment. "Please, don't tell anyone, brat2." Gleb begged. 

"I won't." Cedrik reassured Gleb, "What are you going to do?" He asked. 

"What do you mean?" Gleb looked up. 

"Anya and Katya, they're gone. You know the chances of you ever seeing them again are... low to say the least, if ever." Cedrik clarified. 

Gleb bit his lip, the action reminding himself of Anya, and looked down. How was he suppose to tell Cedrik? Blood or not, they were still brothers.

"No." Cedrik was too good at reading people, and not for the first time Gleb wondered why Cedrik didn't do the interrogating. 

"What?" Gleb asked, wondering what Cedrik knew. 

"Your going to leave too, aren't you." It wasn't a question. Gleb was unable to look at his brother. "Gleb!" 

"I'm sorry," was all Gleb could find to say. 

"Have you lost it! You could die!" Cedrik jumped up from his seat. 

"I'd rather that than never see my family again." If Cedrik couldn't understand this, Gleb didn't know what he would do, so he pushed forward. "What if you never saw Yulia and your child again." Though Cedrik's wife was still pregnant and he'd never actually met the unborn child, Cedrik was still fiercely devoted to them. This seemed to strike a cord within Cedrik and he sank back down into his seat. "You would do the exact same thing if you were in my position." Gleb pointed out, knowing he was right. Sighing Cedrik agreed quietly. "I'm sorry." Gleb whispered. 

"You're right." Cedrik's voice was barely audible. 

 "You won't tell anyone?" Gleb asked. 

"No." Cedrik conceded. 

"Thank you." Gleb leaned back, unsure of what else to say and the office sank into an almost eerie silence. 

 

1\. A type of fur hat with ear flaps that can be tied under the chin, or to the hat itself at the top of the head. 

2\. The Russian word for brother. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave any questions, comments, concerns, and or interpretive dances in the comment section below.


	12. Nothing But A Man

Stepping into the eerily quiet flat always made Gleb uncomfortable, and perhaps it was this feeling that had caused him to turn a blind eye to what lay before him. Inhaling as he flicked on the light switch Gleb looked around the disheveled room in disbelief. Papers were thrown everywhere, books left carelessly strewn around the room, Gleb found himself trying not to cringe at their now broken and bent spines, and furniture lay upended leaving the house thoroughly and utterly ransacked. As Gleb made his way through the flat, broken glass crunched under his boots as he took in the damage. They were obviously looking for something, and if they were looking for something, they'd most like be looking for him next. He had to get out sooner than planned. 

Following this train of thought, Gleb dashed back to the bed room and quickly threw off his heavy great coat onto the, still upright, chair in the corner before reaching under the bed for the suitcase kept there, only to find it, unsurprisingly, gone. Standing up Gleb looked around for the offending case. Lifting up the discarded blankets that had sat on the once pristine made bed that morning Gleb finally found the suitcase lying on the floor. As he reached down for the case Gleb felt a burning sting on his finger and quickly pulled it back to see a line of dark red blood trailing down it. Moving more carefully Gleb placed the suitcase to the side to reveal a picture frame laying face down with shards of glass surrounding it. Shuffling past the Glass Gleb turned it over and found himself staring into his father's eyes. Looking at the old photograph now Gleb wondered what his father might say if he saw him now. The weight of the world suddenly seemed to come crashing down upon him and Gleb sat back on his heels dragging his hand across his face. Shaking the thoughts away, Gleb tossed the photograph to the side and grabbed the suitcase, throwing it onto the bed, carelessly tossing shirts and trousers into it, digging through the drawers, searching for the envelope stuffed with rubles. Setting it aside as to remember to grab it, a sudden noise in the empty flat caught Gleb's attention. Someone was there. Moving quickly Gleb rose from his position in front of the wardrobe and deftly hid behind the open door so he might have the element of surprise and gain the upper-hand on the intruder. The footsteps grew closer as they picked their way around the rubble lying everywhere. Making sure to stay out of sight, Gleb watched through the crack between the wall and the door as a barely discernible figure made it's way closer. Quieting his breathing Gleb prepared to confront the unknown figure as they entered the room. In an instant Gleb was upon him, pushing him back against the wall and pinning him there, only to stare in shock at none other than Igor Soldolski, the elderly man holding his hands up in surrender at his attacker. Staggering back, Gleb released Igor from the wall and before he could ask Igor was answering. 

"You have to leave, they'll come back." Igor spoke. 

"What-? Who-?" Was all Gleb could managed to say. 

"You know who." Igor said pointedly and Gleb swallowed roughly. "I'm afraid your dear Russia had turned on you, my boy." Igor spoke part mournful, part spiteful. 

"I know." Gleb admitted, hating the stab of betrayal and in his gut. "I'm leaving tonight." It hurt to say almost as much as being shot, but the thought of seeing Anya and Katya again lessened the sting. 

"They'll be back soon, hurry." Igor reminded Gleb. Quickly shaking off the heavy weight that had settled around him Gleb returned to packing. 

"I need to change, I'll be right out." Gleb spoke, remembering he was still wearing his red-army uniform and how conspicuous he would be in it. Nodding politely Igor left the room and Gleb quickly slipped into a nondescript and worn suit before stuffing his uniform into the bottom of the suit case, laying out the heavy great-coat on top, deciding it might come in handy if they nights became too cold. Stuffing the envelope of rubles into his pocket and taking the suitcase in hand, Gleb forced himself to step over the photo of Sergei Vaganov and leave it behind amongst  clutter on the floor. 

"Ready?" Gleb looked up as he entered the living room to see Igor standing there. "Is there anything else you wish to take?" 

"I need to stop by my office." Gleb recalled the photograph of Katya and Anya on his desk and the paper weight Katya had made him for Christmas. His newly issued firearm also sat locked in the bottom drawer where he'd left it. 

"Very well, but we must hurry." Igor nodded. 

"We?" Gleb asked.

"I will see you safely out of Petersburg, it is the least I can do." Igor responded. 

Gleb resisted the urge to correct Petersburg to Leningrad, instead saying, "No, go home, I won't have you getting tangled in this web too." 

"Believe me boy, I was tangled in this web long before the revolution." Igor waved his hand dismissively. 

"Alright," Gleb conceded, knowing nothing would sway the old man. 

A sharp rapping at the door startled them both as shouts of "Vaganov," and "Open up!" rang out from the other side. 

"Into the alley!" Igor moved surprisingly quick for a man of his age and grabbed a stunned Gleb from where he stood frozen, unaccustomed to being on the receiving end of this treatment. Allowing Igor to pull him, Gleb stumbled after him and towards the back of the flat, and into Katya's deserted room. Throwing the window open Igor ushered Gleb out of the flat before following him. They could still hear the banging and finally the splintering of wood as the door gave way under the red-army's relentless pounding. They didn't stay long enough to hear them rushing through the flat and Gleb and Igor had already disappeared into the shadowy grasp of the alley by the time someone found the open window. Rounding a corner and breathing harshly, Gleb gasping for breath and Igor wheezing through the cold night air, they dared stop and rest. 

"It's another two blocks to the Bolshevik Offices," Gleb gasped out looking at Igor. 

"Quickly then." Igor pushed himself off the damp alley wall and they continued on, albeit at a slightly slower pace than before, taking the time to peak around corners and assure that the coast was clear. Coming to the backside of the Bolshevik office building Gleb quickly identified the fire escape that led to the floor his office was located on. 

"I'll be right back, just give me a minuet." Gleb turned and began to ascend the latter up to the window on the third floor of the building. Silently Gleb pushed the window up and crept into the empty building, propping the window up behind him. Unlocking the door and sneaking out of the room, Gleb quickly ran down the hall, knowing that no one was in the building and therefor not caring how loud his footsteps were. Stopping at the door to his office Gleb realized the key was somewhere in the pockets of his uniform trousers in the bottom of his suitcase. After a moments debilitation Gleb remembered the paper clips the secretaries kept on their desks, desks that were out in the open and not behind any locked door, both fortunately and  unfortunately. 

Turning back, Gleb went back by the open door to the room with the window he'd come through, listening carefully for any sounds outside as he passed, and continued down the stairs and stopped short of the last few steps, watching carefully for any movement outside the windows facing the darkened street, two of which had been closed, probably to combat the blinding rays of the setting sun that evening, however the third was left wide open, so if anyone happened to glance inside as they passed by, they surely see him. Keep to the shadows as best he could, Gleb continued down the stairs at a much slower pace and crouched down to below the windows level, lowering the chances of being caught out in the open. Creeping forward on all fours Gleb finally made it behind the nearest desk and began to rifle through the items on top of it. As his sifted through the papers Gleb finally found it, a paper clip. Though now it wasn't the paper clip that intrigued him so, it was a name on the papers the paper clip held together in it's grasp. His name. 

Knowing he didn't have time to stop and wonder over the papers Gleb took the paper clip before folding the papers and shoving them into his pocket with the envelope to asses later when he had time and other matters, such as life and death, were less pressing, his only drive now that of seeing his family again. Gleb repeated the process in reverse of sneaking out from behind the desk and back up the stairs and finally stood back at the locked door to his office. After some careful manipulating of the paper clip the door unlocked with an altogether satisfying ' _click'_. Pushing the door open Gleb wasted no time entering the office and retrieving what he came for. They paper weight was slipped into his free pocket and Gleb hastily pulled open the bottom drawer to retrieve his gun, carefully stowing it away inside of his jacket. Standing Gleb picked up the photograph from his desk and turning it over, pulling away the back to the frame and sliding the thick paper out. Gleb folded this carefully too and moved it the breast pocket of his jacket, wanting to keep Anya and Ekatrina as close to his heart as possible. Looking over the space for what he knew would be the last time Gleb retreated from the office and closed the door behind him, locking it. 

Retracing his path back down the hall and into the room he'd entered into through the window Gleb closed that door and locked it as well behind him, wanting to leave as little trace of him having been there behind as possible. Deftly Gleb climbed back out the window and back down the fire escape to where Igor stood anxiously shifting from foot to foot and keeping watch around the corner on the street. Reaching out Gleb alerted the older man of his presence and silently jerked his head in the other direction, signaling he was ready to leave. 

"I need to get to the train station, there's a train for Warsaw leaving tonight, if I can board it and get to-" 

"No, not the train, it's too obvious, no..." Igor cut Gleb off before trailing off in thought. "My niece, and her family live on a farm near Helsinki, in Finland. Ask for the name Lotsky, go there and they can help you." Igor suggested.

"But my wife and daughter will be in Paris." Gleb stopped walking, wondering why Igor would suggest such a thing such as going to Finland, it was nearly in the opposite direction he needed to go. 

"From there you could easily catch a boat from Helsinki to Stockholm." Igor pointed out. 

"Sweden?" Gleb raised his brows. "Let me guess, your uncle's grandmother's nephew's pet dog's goldfish's girlfriend's father lives there." 

"Watch your tone." Igor turned sharply and shook a finger at Gleb, making him feel like a red-faced little boy he was all those years ago again. "I don't know anyone is Sweden, unfortunately, but, if you don't mind the walk, you can make it to the coastal town of Helsingborg," Igor paused to give it some thought before speaking again, "and you can cross the short distance from there to Copenhagen, and from Copenhagen it should be easy to get a boat to Kiel, on the German coast. Now I do think once you are in mainland Europe, finding a train to Paris shouldn't be too hard." 

"How do you know all this?" Gleb asked, not bothering to hide his amazement as he and Igor continued in the shadows through the ally. 

"I once traveled the world, many years ago, when I was barely your own age." Igor spoke wistfully. Before Gleb could answer there can an echo of shouts and quick footsteps hurrying their way. "We've stayed too long!" Igor bemoaned before grabbing at Gleb's shirt sleeve and dragging him along as they ran. "The boarder, you must get to the boarder, it's a day and a half's walk from here to Svetogorsk, you can cross the boarder into Finland there." 

Gleb nodded to show he understood before thanking the man. "How can my family and I ever repay you for all you've done for us? Without you, I'd surely be dead." 

"Alas, there is nothing you can do for an old man." Igor sighed. 

"There must be something." Gleb insisted. 

"Go and live out your life and make certain your family knows you love them, promise me that." Igor relented. Swallowing, Gleb nodded. "No go!" Igor pushed Gleb onward, "Head northwest!" 

"Thank you," Gleb thank the man before hurrying off. He made it around the corner and halfway down the next ally before he realized Igor wasn't behind him. Quickly doubling back Gleb hurried back down the ally looking for Igor. Just as he was about to round the corner and call out to him a loud gunshot rang through the quiet of the night, freezing Gleb in his tracks. Pressing his back against the rough brick of the ally wall Gleb caught his breath with wide eyes, afraid to look, but needing to know. Taking no more than half a second Gleb looked around the corner before turning and running off, suitcase in hand. The image he'd seen, if only for merely half a second, burned in Gleb's mind. How many people had to die for this godforsaken rumor, Gleb wondered, how many lives needed to be torn apart for he and his family's sake? 

"Stop!" Gleb skid to a halt as he found himself staring down the barrel of a gun at the end of the ally. With barely a seconds thought Gleb ignored this order and turned down another ally branching off the one he was already in, and felt the consequences of his actions as shots rang out and bullet burned past him, one brushing past his arm with a fiery sting. Gleb tossed his suit case over a fence blocking the ally off from the streets of Leningrad and wasted no time clambering over it next. Jumping down onto the empty street below, Gleb found himself staring down the road to the very bridge Anya had chosen to seek shelter in all those years ago. Huffing, Gleb ran down the street, hating every moment out in the open, and prayed there would be no one else beneath. It seemed whomever was watching from above finally granted this one prayer as Gleb crept under the bridge and found it, thankfully, empty. Taking a seat on the cold dirt and leaning back against the cold concrete support of the bridge Gleb fought to gain control of his breathing again and held his head in his hands. When finally his breath had calmed, Gleb looked up again and listened for the sounds of any who might be searching for him. Northwest, he needed to head northwest, but that begged another question, which way was northwest? After giving his predicament some thought Gleb realized it would be much easier to disappear into a crowd and leave the city inconspicuously than for a lone man at night sticking out like a sore thumb by himself. Looking at his watch and deciding that this would indeed be the best plan of action, Gleb sent up one last plea that no one would look under or return to the bridge during the night. 

Gleb hadn't realized he'd fallen asleep until he woke up the next morning to the sounds of the river flowing and people begining to get a start to their day. Sitting up Gleb rubbed his arms, hoping to warm up the frozen limbs, and looked about. The underside of the bridge was still, thankfully, empty, and it didn't appear that anyone else had been their during the night. His neck hurt from where he'd rested his head on his suitcase the night before and there was a deep cold that had instilled itself in his very bones during the night. Once the sounds of the people of the streets began to pick up and began to sound busy, Gleb dared to creep out from beneath the bridge to join the masses in the street. Keeping his gaze down Gleb intentionally knocked into another man with a hat and newspaper in his hand, deftly swiping the hat and paper from him and vanishing into the surrounding crowd before the man could realize what had happened. Pulling the newly swiped ascot onto his head and pulling the bill forward casting a shadow over his face, Gleb tucked the newspaper under his arm and glanced up at a street sign as he passed a crossroads. Dammit, he was heading south, the near opposite direction he needed to be heading. Reluctantly Gleb parted from the crowd and turned down another road, one that was less traveled unfortunately, and began walking west. In his mind Gleb made up a plan to head west until he was out of Leningrad before turning northwest. 

As the crowds began to dissipate Gleb felt his heart-rate pick up and unintentional quickened his pace before scolding himself with how suspicious his pace would look, and forced himself to slow down. Passing a group of patrolling officers stopped for a smoke break Gleb inconspicuously looked the other direction, hoping to ovoid recognition. Just as he thought he was in the clear a shout range out behind. 

"Hey! Comrade!"

Gleb's heart stopped in his chest as the shout. _He's not talking to me, he's calling out to someone else,_ Gleb tried to reason with himself. 

"Comrade, stop!" The voice called again and Gleb stopped, taking a deep breath and preparing for the worst. "Comrade," the voice repeated. Slowly turning Gleb half faced the approaching officer. "You dropped this," the man held something out to him. Looking at his hand Gleb could see him holding out the newspaper that must've slipped out from beneath his arm.

"Oh," Gleb reached out and took it, "thank you comrade." Gleb tried his best to lower his voice an octave lest the officer hear him and know who he was. 

"No problem, comrade, have a good day." The man responded before turning away and heading back over to his comrades. 

By now Gleb's heart was beating double time and his collar seemed to have shrunk and Gleb nearly passed out with the relief that coursed through his veins. Doing his best to keep steady on his feet Gleb continued on his way, paying better attention to his surroundings and everything on him, lest the previous interaction be repeated with a worse outcome. Finally, after several near cardiac arrests, Gleb could see the city limits approaching in the distance and with a new found hope let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. Though freedom was fare from sight, there was something almost satisfying about leaving everything behind in Leningrad, he was leaving a part of himself behind, a part of himself that over time, loath as he was to admit it, Gleb was far from proud of. What he had done was for the good of all Russia, Gleb had known that, but over time the simple knowledge had become more of a reassurance that what he was doing was right, no matter how much his inner morals might battle with his actions. Stepping outside the city limits something dawned on him, from that moment when he'd climbed through the back window of his flat that night he'd completely abandoned the Deputy Commissioner, and now all that was left was the man who wore the title, Gleb Vaganov, and that's what he was now, no longer another faceless officer in the masses, and no matter his rank, utterly replaceable, but now a man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave any questions, comments, concerns, and or interpretive dances in the comment section below!


	13. Out of the Frying Pan and into the...Cold, Unlit Stove?

The light of the late morning sun landed on Anya's closed eyes as the train turned, gently coaxing her awake. As she became dully aware of the rocking of the train Anya could hear the sounds of voices talking. Sitting up, she blinked her eyes and stretched her arms up above her head and looked over to the voices. Katya was sitting up on a stack of flour peaking out of the window-like slots of the train car and making comments on the passing scenery to Dmitry, who sat next to the stacks of flour answering Katya's questions and asking questions in turn about what she could see outside. 

"Are than any birds that you can see?" Dmitry asked up to Katya who in turn pressed her face against the wall looking outside. 

"No." Katya shook her head. 

"The noise of the train probably scared them off." Dmitry commented. "Can you see any wildlife?" 

"No, the train probably scared them away, too." Katya answered before adding, "but there are _lots_ of trees." Dmitry chuckled before looking up and seeing Anya had woken up. 

"What time is it, do any of you know?" Anya asked. 

"Around noon, I should think." Dmitry answered. 

"Mama! Look, Dmitry let me wear his coat!" She clambered down from the stacks of flour, careful not to trip on the too big fabric of the great coat they'd stolen the night before. "It's just like Papa's!" Katya exclaimed, throwing her arms up.

"It is," Anya agreed, standing to greet her daughter. 

"I miss Papa." Katya's mood dropped at the mention of her father and she wrapped her arms around Anya legs and burying her face in her hip. 

Kneeling down Anya ran her hand over Katya's hair. "I know, I miss him too." 

"When are we going to see him again?" Katya asked, looking at Anya with big tear-filled eyes. Unsure of how to answer Anya pulled Katya to her holding her close. How was she supposed to tell Katya that she may never see her father again? Anya shut her eyes, quickly banishing the thought from her mind, they  _were_ going to see Gleb again, and they'd all be a family again soon. 

"You really love him, don't you." Opening her eyes Anya could see Vlad looking at her. Smiling Anya pulled away from Katya and wiped away the tears the had fallen on her cheeks. 

"I do." Anya admitted.

"I remeber what it was like." Vlad spoke into the silence, reclining back against the stacks of flour. "Being head over heels for someone else, quiet litterly at times!" Vlad chuckled. 

"Oh?" Anya couldn't help but smile. "And what was her name?" 

"Aww, my sweet little rose! My Lily!" Vlad reminisced. 

"Is this a person or a flower garden?" Anya chuckled looking to Dmitry, who shrugged. 

"Lily Malevsky-Malevich was the prettiest woman in all of court!" Vlad exclaimed. 

"You were a noble?" Anya asked, sitting back down and guiding Katya to sit down on her lap. 

"Please, him? A noble?" Dmitry laughed. 

"What?" Anya asked. 

"He's right you know," Vlad sat up gesturing to Dmitry before placing his hand on the side of his mouth as if to hide what he was about to say from anyone else, "I conned my way up the social ladder." 

"And what about Lily? Did she know you were a fake?" Anya smiled, inviting Vlad to continue his story. 

"Did she know? Ha! She saw right through me the entire time!" Vlad laughed. "Awww... she was perfect. Beautiful, voluptuous, married...every thing I look for in a woman." Anya laughed at this. 

"Did you ever love anyone, Dmitry?" Katya asked smiling over at him.

"No, no, no!" Dmitry waved his hands and shook his head, desperately trying to divert the question. 

"Oh-ho! Yes you have, you have and don't deny it!" Vlad pointed an accusatory finger at Dmitry. 

"I was ten, it was nothing but a crush!" Dmitry shot back. 

"A crush that lasted half a decade." Vlad looked at Anya. 

"Oh come on, Dmitry, there has to have been someone." Anya prodded. "We won't tease you, promise." 

"I really don't want to talk about it." Dmtiry began to fiddle with his fraying gloves. 

Vlad looked like he was about to say something before Anya cut him off, "It's alright Dmitry, you don't have to tell us, it is personal, and it sounds liked you liked her a lot." 

"I did." Dmitry admitted. 

"Well, maybe you'll find her again, and get a second chance." Anya tried. 

"Nah, she didn't even know I existed, and she's happy with someone else now." Dmitry sat back. "Besides, I don't think we've heard all there is to know about Lily." Dmitry forced a laugh and Vlad took the invitation to continue. 

Anya listened actively as Vlad spoke adoringly of Lily, telling stories of their escapades, Anya sometimes cutting in to remind him there was a child present. It was in this way they passed the time, Vlad telling his seemingly endless stories, Dmitry butting in every now and then, and Anya laughing and offering her opinion when it was due. Ekatrina entertained herself with the ideas of princesses and dresses and balls and sweets and the glimmering palaces alive with music and laughter that Vlad painted in her mind, once jumping in to ask if he'd ever met a princess. This question seemed to sober Vlad for a second before his jovial nature returned, the light sparking once again in his eyes and out of habit Anya almost shushed Katya and told her not to speak of such things before reminding herself it was safe to let the child dream now.

"I can't say I've ever met a princess before, but I've seen them." 

"Were they pretty?" Katya asked, enthralled by the idea. 

"Very." Vlad chuckled and Anya smiled softly and ran a hand over Katya's fraying braids, making note to redo them at some point. Katya looked up at her and smiled and Anya wondered at the strength of children in times such a these. After some time Katya reached up and tugged at Anya's sleeve. 

"What is it, solnyshko?" Anya asked, looking down to the child, using Gleb's nickname for her.

"Mama, I'm hungry." Anya smiled softly at Katya before reaching over for the sack Gleb had packed the food in. Choosing out one of two potatoes that still remained Anya took out a small knife and divided it amongst herself and her companions. Seeing that their food was nearly gone Anya asked about when the train would stop, wondering if there'd be any way to replenish their food supply. Between the three adults they'd chosen to divide up their food between them. 

"It's hard to tell when the next stop will be, we're not even a day's ride by train away from the Russian boarder, what do you think, Dmitry?" Vlad spoke.

Chewing thoughtfully Dmitry replied, "The way I figure, if this train is heading in a slight southeastern direction we should be in Pinsk by this time tomorrow." 

"How do you know we're head southeast?" Katya looked up at Dmitry from her own sliver of potato. 

"You can tell by the sun." Dmitry gestured to the slots the sun danced through and Katya seemed satisfied with this answer for the time being and returned to eating. 

"We'll have to get off the train before it pulls into the station," Anya pointed out, "I'm not sure how the Polish authorities would take four Russian stowaways." 

"Yes..." Vlad rubbed at his beard. 

"How are we going to get to Paris?" Anya asked, forgetting she hadn't told Ekatrina where they were heading yet. 

"We're going to Paris?" Katya all but squealed.

Anya hugged Katya closer and kissed her hair before responding, "Yes, we are." 

"Is Papa going to be in Paris?" Katya became even more excited. 

"He's going to meet us there, yes." Anya nodded, grateful to have something good to tell her daughter. At this Katya practically glowed with happiness, her smile lightening up the train car. 

"We can either go straight through Poland and then Germany, or the southern route through Poland, then across Czechoslovakia, and into Germany, then France." Vlad spoke, producing the map from his pocket and tracing the routes with his finger, before handing the map over to Anya to look over. 

Looking over the map Anya pursed her lips. It seemed it would be easier to travel the first way, less boarders to cross. Anya voiced this opinion and Dmitry agreed. "Is there a train we could catch somewhere along the way in Poland or Germany?" Anya asked. 

"I suppose once we get into Pinsk we could see if there were a train from Pinsk to Warsaw at the very least." Vlad supposed. 

"How are we going to pay for the tickets?" Dmitry asked. At this question Anya's mind immediately went to the diamonds sewn into the lining of her coat before Gleb's voice echoed in her mind, reminding her not to use it until absolutely necessary. 

Instead, Anya reached down and produced the envelope from beneath her blouse and spoke, "This might do, if we take enough to buy the tickets, there might be enough to purchase some more food as well." Anya then handed the envelope over to Vlad who wordlessly opened it and sorted through the rubles, before handing the envelope back to her.

"Guys..." Dmitry spoke up. 

"What is it?" Vlad clambered up, confusion written on his face. 

"Guys!" Dmitry's voice became urgent as he jumped up as he tried to warn them of something, but it was too late. The train began to slow before ultimately coming to a stop. Wide-eyed they looked around each other and Anya clutched Katya to her. There was the sound of voices and footsteps and before they could react the door to the train car swung open. There standing there, looking between the two men and the women with the child clinging to her, was a man with a somewhat surprised look on his face, though he looked like he expected to find them there at the same time.

"Rosjanie?Russians?" He asked in Polish, looking between them.

"TakYes..." Dmitry replied carefully. 

"You speak Polish?" Vlad tried not seemed shocked at this revelation.

Dmitry waved Vlad's question away and spoke again. "Możesz nam pomóc?Can you help us?"

"Chodź,Come," The man gestured to all of them before repeating himself, "chodź." 

Carefully looking between themselves Anya, Katya, Vlad, and Dmitry climbed out of the train car and into the train yard, following the polish man. 

"Did he say where we're going?" Anya leaned over to Dmitry. 

"I can ask," Dmitry offered. "Gdzie nas zabierasz?Where are you taking us?" 

"Bezpieczeństwo." He answered without looking back. 

"He says safety." Dmitry translates for them.

"I suppose we've got not choice but to trust him." Vlad whispered, Anya nodding in agreement. The Polish man led them to a small shack that served as the office to the train yard. As he turned and held the door open for them he gestured to himself and spoke, 

"Augustyn." 

"Dmitry," Dmitry pointed to himself before introducing Vlad, Anya, and Katya.

"Zaczekaj tutaj." The man, Augustyn, said. 

"He wants us to wait here," Dmitry spoke. 

Closing the door Augustyn left the small office shack with the four of them inside. It wouldn't be until dusk when Augustyn did at last return, he held the door open again and gestured for them to follow him again. This time Augustyn led them out of the train yard and down a dirt road that led into town. As they made their way down the streets no one seemed to pay any heed to the group of renegades. Looking around Anya noted what appeared to be a butcher's shop, a few grocer's, and even a bookstore, despite the fact she couldn't read any of the signs on the buildings. Silently Augustyn turned a corner and led them towards a row of flats that lined either side of the streets. Here, Augustyn slowed his pace and turned to the nearest flat and stepped up to the door, opening it and calling out. Without missing a beat a woman, only a few years older than Anya, appeared at the doorway, seemingly confused, before looking over the group as Augustyn spoke rapid polish to her. She seemed to ponder his words for a moment before nodding and disappearing back inside. 

"Chodź,Come," Augustyn tilted his head in the direction of the door before turning and walking inside. 

"Come on," Dmitry said before following Augustyn inside, leaving Anya and Vlad to look at each other before rushing in after Dmitry. 

"Moja żona, Maja i-My wife, Maja, and-” Before Augustyn could finish his sentence the sound of hooting and whooping echoed through the flat as two young boys, the oldest around Katya's age, beelined themselves for Augustyn, throwing themselves around his legs. "Moi chłopcy, Feliks i Albin.My boys, Feliks and Albin." 

"His wife's name is Maja, and those are his children, Feliks and Albin." Dmitry translated for them and Anya smiled down at the adorable boys who were looking up at herself and Erkatrina curiously. 

"Tata, kim oni są?Papa, who are they?" The oldest, Feliks, pulled at his father's pant leg.

"Czy ona może grać?Can she play?" The youngest pointed to Katya, who was now watching the children with a shared interest as well.

"Albin wants to know if Katya can play." Dmitry chuckled. As Anya set Katya down telling her the boys wanted to play, she vaguely wondered about the language barrier before figuring the children would find a way to over come it. Gleefully, the three children took off and into a side room which appeared to be a sitting area of sorts, a few wooden toy trucks and planes lying on the ground amongst a tower built from folded up newspaper. Anya watched on for moment before Dmitry touched her arm and nodded in the direction of the dinning room where Maja was setting out steaming cups and Augustyn was gesturing for them to sit. 

"Can you ask what city we're in?" Vlad asked as he lowered himself into one of the offered chairs.

Turning back to their host Dmitry repeated the question before translating the answer, "We're in a small village ten miles out of Pinsk." 

"And there's a train station there?" Anya asked, hopeful. 

"He says there is." Dmitry nodded and Vlad and Anya looking between each other. 

"Jest wolny pokój, w którym może spać twój ojciec, żona i dziecko.There is a spare room that your father, wife and child may sleep in tonight." Maja spoke softly. Dmitri immediately turned red and began to sputter while Anya and Vlad looked at him questioningly.

"Nie, nie, ona nie jest moją żoną, a on,No, no, she's not my wife, and he," Dmitry gestured to Vlad, "nie jest moim ojcem.is not my father. " Both Augustyn and Maja looked at them with knit brows and Dmitry explained how they were traveling together from Russia to Paris. This seemed to clear up most of the confusion, though the Polish couple didn't press further. 

Noticing how Maja fussed around the counter space, Anya rose from her seat and joined the other woman at the counter. When Maja looked over at her, Anya offered a small smile and busied herself with helping to rinse off the vegetables. The two worked together to clean and cut the varies vegetables before pouring them into a pot of boiling water, Maja giving nonverbal gestures to guide Anya on what to do next and soon they fell into an easy, albeit silent, comraderie. As they left the stew to come to a boil, Anya leaned around the doorway and looked into the living room where the children were playing, Katya desperately trying to guard the newspaper castle she had built by throwing wads of crinkled up newspaper at Felix, who was making exaggerated airplane noises while running around with the wooden airplane, dipping and diving towards the tower every now and then. With a quick glance around, Anya easily spotted Albin rushing after his brother collecting the wads of paper and returning them to Katya and giggling adorably. 

Content, Anya turned and left the door way to help Maja set the table, noting how the men had moved to an empty space on the counter, leaned over Vlad's map, pointing here and there between translated words. Wordlessly, Maja pointed up towards one of the cupboards and Anya reached up, opening the door, and took out several bowls as directed. They worked together to fill the bowls and set them on the table with silverware. Maja called out to the boys and Katya followed not long after. Felix hopped up onto one of the seats before sliding over to where he only sat on half the chair and patted to spot next to him, looking at Katya expectantly. Without any hesitation Katya climbed up next to him and Albin took the seat next to them. Anya gently placed the final bowls down on the table in front of the children before taking a seat. Looking over as she ate, Anya smiled at the thought of Katya socializing. She'd always been a shy sort of child, hiding in Anya's skirts or in Gleb's pant leg whenever faced with the task of meeting or talking to new people, the most either Gleb or herself got out of Katya was a barely audible "privet". Anya chuckled to herself thinking about how all it seemed Katya needed to come out of her shell was a language barrier. 

"There is indeed a train station in Pinsk that should have a train that would get us at least to Warsaw, Berlin, if we're lucky." Vlad explained between bites of stew. 

"And then it's a straight shot from Berlin to Paris!" Dmitry added. 

"Perhaps things are finally beging to look up," Anya hummed. 

"Indeed." Vlad agreed. 

After supper Anya moved to help clear the table, but was quickly shooed away by Maja, so retreated away to watch the children. Upon entering the living area Anya stopped to see Katya, Felix, and Albin sitting in a circle, the boys speaking to her in Polish and Katya repeating the words back slowly, sometimes being gently corrected by the boys or being rewarded with excited nods and grins. Slowly, Anya lowered herself down onto a nearby sofa and watched silently from afar, wondering at the friends Katya would make once they'd settled in France. It wasn't long before Katya's eyes began to droop, and no matter how much she tried, she couldn't seam to be able to keep them open. Albin had already fallen over, dead asleep with his head resting on his brother's knee adorably. Maja  bustled around Anya and towards the children, bending down to lift Albin into her arms and saying something to Felix who followed his mother and Albin towards the stairwell. 

"Mama, Felix was showing me how to speak Polish!" Katya ran over to her own mother. 

"That's very nice of him." Anya knelt down, pushing Katya's hair out of her eyes. Katya hummed in agreement before yawning widely. Chuckling lightly, Anya scooped Katya into her arms, Katya immediately resting her head on Anya's shoulder and burying her face in Anya's neck. 

"There's a spare room, if you and Katya are ready to turn in for the night." Anya turned as Dmitry spoke behind her. 

"Oh, thank you." Anya nodded. 

"I think Vlad's already bedded down for the night." Dmitry led them up the stairs and down the hall. 

"And what about you, surely you're not planning on staying up all night?" Anya asked.

"No, I'll be in in a few minuets." Dmitry shook his head, before stiffling a gaping yawn of his own. Anya smiled and nodded, telling him not to be too long. Inside the room she found Vlad had already lay claim to a corner of the room beneath a window with silver moonlight spilling in. Anya used her foot, as her hands were otherwise occupied holding an exhausted Katya, and moved a couple of the blanket set out to another section of the room and sat down. Pillowing one of the blankets beneath her head and resting Katya's own on her shoulder, Anya covered herself and Katya with the spare blanket before drifting off into the most peaceful night of sleep she'd had since leaving Russia and their old life behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Please leave any questions, comments, concerns, and or interpretive dances in the comment section below!

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave and comments, concerns, constructive criticisms, and or interpretive dances in the comment section below.


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